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LETTERS 



FROM THE LATS- 



REV. WILLtAM ROMAINE, Af.^ 

Hkctor of St. Andrew Wardrobe, and St. Ann 
Black Friars ; and Lecturer of 
St. Dnostan'i in the We$t> 



■f »■ ■ -w 



TO A' FRfENm 






OirTBl MOST IMPORTANT 9VBJ£CTf^ 



During^a eorrt^pMitMlee tf fUMtUf years. 



fVBXISHRD VROV TBX^ ORXOIIT AL MAlfVtCRiPT^ 

BY THaMAS WILLS, A. B. 

of Silver Street Chapel, and formerlf' 
of Magdalen Hall, Oxfoid, 



NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j: 

RE-PRINTSD BY AMBROSS WALKER, 

CBr RiGBARD ScoTT, Bookseller and Stationer^ 
Pearl-Street, New-York. 



/) 



PREFACE 



-^^^ 



T, 



R£ followkig Letters, It is prMnned, Bced^ 
BO confirmation of their authenticity, nor any re- 
comtnendaiioh of tbehr invaluable contents, to 
those who knew and esteemed their late excellent 
anthor. The manner and style, almost peculiar, 
to himself, of making Christ the Aix in All, 
in the glory of his pertou, the efficacy of bis blood 
and righteousness,' and the fulness of his salvation^, 
proclaim aloud, these were written by no other 
than WiUiam Ronume : they prove also^ to a de*. 
inonst^don,>that Jesus was his darKng theme, in 
his closet, as well as the pulpit; in his private cor*. 
respondence^ as in bis public discourses. Nor^. 
indeed, was this holy man of God ever in bis ele* 
ment, but vdien be was making mention of bis 
divine JN&ster's namts and:rightpousnc8»;Qnly, of: 
which it might be Hterally said he Ii^w no end;. 
The Editor pledges himself to the public, thafet 
these Letters are faithfully prisrtedfrom die origin*, 
als, in the hand^ writing of their venerable author;: 
and he flatters himselt he is bringing glory to his 

adomtdfl^lfvd^ as well at xtxMkmi^vk caietttak 



4 PREFACir. 

servke to die cfaurcb, b^ prfe|ervln| thU invaluablib^ 
treasure from oblivion;^ which God in his provi-^ 
ddnce batb'thus put into his hands, he trusts, for 
this very purpose. Nor will his^ prayers be want*^- 
ing, that evey. reader of this precious collection* 
may, by tfie divine bleestng^ reap the gre^est^ 
benefit from ks perusal ; and have cause to *glorif]i 
the 6reat Head of the Gfaurcl^wUo bad so abu»dU- 
autljf blessed ttus incc^parabte inirjjster's labours- 
ia bis life, for accompaaj^n^ wiOf tUe uncticm of; 
tbe Spirit, diese his posdraniotii letters Kby-wUd4rt 



LETTERS 



TROM THE LATE 



ILEV. WILLIAM ROMAINE, M. A. 



rLETTEFt L 



Dec. 28, 1762. 



ItfT DEAR FRIEND^ 



I 



DO not forget ymi, nor your last favour, 
Till memory fail me, I hope, in a grateful mind, to 
retain a sweet sense of .your kiadaess to me. 
Bkssed be his name 1 I have a desire put into my 
heart, by my heavenly lover, to spread his fame 
and glory, as far as my tongue can reaeh. And 
for what cist* do I take up my pen, but to iv.ake 
mention of him, even of him on^y ? the favour- 
ite theme of his redeemed on earth — ihc triur ph 

of the same redeemed, when they come to Sion 

B 



a ROMAINE^S 

\v ith cverlastkig joy upon their beads and in thesr 
hearts. My medication of bim is now sweet. In 
one single point of view I am beholding him, and 
in that be is all glorious. O that the faithful wit<- 
ness for him may give you to fct\, what I have 
felt, of his incarnate love. May the Spirit glorify 
in your 6oul that greatest, that standing miracle 
of Jehovah's everlasting grace^ by letting you 
know^ that for you a child was bom, /or .you a 
son was given, even Immanuel himself—- God with 
us, and God for us. I will try to lead you, by the 
light of revelation, into some of thef w<Hiders of 
this transaction, 9s ^hey ha^/ibeen mapi&stod 
with life an4rpower unto my own heart. 

The jsciipturejs a fiiU description 6f the pur- 
poses of the divine will from eternity to eternity* 
Therein we find a council held, before all worlds, 
between tlie Holy Triniry, and the decrees of this 
council confirmed by the icovenant and oath of 
each of the divine persons. This was the great 
contrivance of heaven, and it lay in the bosom 6f 
Jehovah with infinite delight. He viewed it, as 
the richest disj^ay of all his divine pctfeptions, 
in which, and for which, his glory would be admir- 
ed, and enjoyed by his creatures for ever and for 
ever. Imma^cl was the centre of this covenant 
—his becoming surety for Iris people—rating 
flesh for them— 4iving and dying, that tlie divine 



I 



LETTERS. 3 

Sotttoui'S^of the boHiiess; and'trutli, and justice of 
die Godhead tnight shine forth in fuli-orbcd glory, 
fiir shewing mercy to poor sinners. — ^Tltis was, 
this is, this vrill be, the etcmol^aUjtct of praise. 
Hear bow - the Fithdr. trhimphs in the Son of b's 
love — Behold rnf" servant J ivhofn I upboLf, mhic 
ekctf in whom my soul. detightetJ?. And again, 
with a vovcc firbm heaven, TW/ hniy beloved 
soN,"^^ in whom I am iveU phased. All the coun- 
cibi decrees, and works^of J«bovah terminate, 
y<Efa be^ and ond in this Ucssed Immanucl; and, 
therefore, when the angels ^ere created, the pur- 
pose of Jehovah's taking flesh was* manifested to 
them, and proclsonation was made— -JLr/ all the ^ 
imgels of God worship him. Pride aro^e in thp 
heart <^ Lucifer and his eompamon»-«<heir will 
opposed the will of the eternal Three in this mat- 
ter, for wUch they were cast out of heaven* and 
have opposed Quist and'bis^people evev since, 

Dicn this w(M*Id waff created for the carrying 
ihtD execution^tbe purposes of the everksting co* 
venant. Man, the object of the Deity's delight, 
as made in the image of God— part of two worlds 
•^a body of earti>— an immortal spirit-— by the 
one connected to matter and sense, by the other * 
^ to God the Father of spirits. The enemy of Jesus 
attacked . Eve, and beguiied her throng his sub- 
tkty^. Adam was- not deceived, but. fell by listeft- 



4' ROMAINE^S 

ing to his material and aewsual part. He pre- 
ferred bis wife to God, and so lost bis image^ 
knowledge, rigbteousiiess, and holiness. 

Upon this the revelation of the Covenant was 
made, and the incarnation of Jehovah was made 
known, as the ground of fjwth and hope, and of 
return again to God in the way of love and grati- 
tude. As clear as words can speak, and signs de- 
clare, the promised seed of the woman was to at- 
tack Set tan, and was, to bruise his head, where 
his poison lies, and thereby to deliver bis* peo- 
ple : For this purpose the Father sent him into 
Che world, that. he might deliver us irosp the pow- 
er of darkness, and translate ub into the kingdom 
of bia dear Son. I believe, from the evidence of 
Scripture, that Adam> and all believers downwards^ 
had as ctear a view of the iftcarnation of JehiQ* 
vah> Q3m\ 0t the reasons^ for his taking fleab, as 
you and t have> and, witli aa warm hearts, as we 
can have, they rejoiced in the God of their salva- 
tion. Hear one of tbem^ how he stands amazed 
at this miracle of mercy r But wiU God indeed 
dwell nvith t^n on the earth? And mind the pi- 
oua breaduQgs of hi^ holy father-^how belonged 
for Christmas I 0/ that the salvation luas come 
titito Israel out of Sion ; / thaf the Lord would 
deliver bis people out of captivity^ then shall Jacob 
rejoice^ md Israel sh^ be glad. That he would 



k- 



CETTERS;. 5 

60XE, was the ground of believers' hope in every 
age, and there were many of them waiting, when 
be came, who blessed God for lettiiig them, see 
with chtir eyes hiS great salvation. At the fixed 
monlent, when the fulness of time was come, there 
was a chosen vessel most graciously fitted and 
humbled &r this miraculous conception. -^She 
was highly favoured, high in grace, meek and 
lowly in heart, and of her, by the power of the 
Holy Ghost, was that holy child conceived— af 
her, the virgin mother, was he bom-— a babe, 
belidess as we are. Here is L<n>e / O what a mi- 
racle, God iocanxate 1:^ and yet like us in all things 
— <z» mfani;. Be astonished,, ye heavens^ and adore 
thou earth, &i& miracle of miracles. 

He is boin among us, grows up, as we do« a 
child, a youth, a man— -true and very maiii But 
the rapturous thought— He is Jehovah? Think, 
O tlunk, what that blessed womai»fcll> when she 
broke out in this sweet hymn : My sotd dotb 
magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in 
God MT sAviouK. There is my honour, not that 
be is my son, but that he is God my Saviour: 
He todcr.my nature, that I mt^t take his: He 
lived for me, that by his obedience I might be 
made righteous : He suffered my punishment, 
that I might never suflfcc it : He bore my curse, 
tb redeem mc from the curse of the law.: Ho, 

B 2 



6 . ROM:^INE'S 

was forsaken of God his father, tliat I might ne- 
ver be forsaken : He died to give me life : He 
rose agaiii to take possession of life for me : He 
ascended in our nature, and is glorified in it : 
What he has, I shall have : His honours, his 
crown and dignity, bis fulness of joy and bliss: 
AH,' all is mine: What he is, what he was, is for 
me : for he is Goq my Saviojur. Happy, thrice 
happy, Mary, virgin-mother ! yea, h-appy^ thrice 
happy too, Mrs. — - Is not the new-bom king, 
your king? Is not the child Jesus, your God? 
He is, he is; you cannot deny it. O come then, 
my dear friend, let us praise his precious name, 
and let us magnify his love together. Soon, yet 
a very little while, and we shall be with him; we 
shall be lik€ him. O what a thought is thar, 
USE HIM ! yes, when we come where he is, the 
glory of that sun of righteousness will shine upon 
us, yea will .shine into us j^ and he will make tis 
what he is. We shall then *be happy partakers of 
all that was with delight in the breast of Jehovah 
from eternity ; all will be fulfilled* The Father's 
richest love, the most exalted grace of the Spirit, 
will flow, through the infinitely Hessed Immanuel, 
into all his glorified members* This is the accom- 
plishraent of the everlasting covenant. In this the 
eternal Three will take eternal delight. Jehovah 
^iil rest iu his love* And^ (hrough that God-man^ 



LETTERS. 7 

ivill the God-head have full, perfect, and ever- 
lasting glory, honour, worship, blessing, and praise, 
from the full choir. You will sing aloud, in as 
high a key as any one of them all: complain 
now you may, and of yourself you ought ^ but 
then it will be all praise — all wonder — ^that you 
should be chosen, elect of God, partaker of his 
covcnant-lovc ; this distinguishing grace will 
make you a happy, willing debtor to Immanuel for 
evw and ever. 

Thus looking' backward or forward, I see all 
the purposes and works of God bearing respect to 
this wonderful person. He was set up from ever* 
tasting as the Alpha, and he will be to everlasting 
the Omega : for in all things he must have the 
pre-eminence. He has it above. O that we may 
ascribe more of it to him below. And you will, 
if you can pierce with the eagle-eye of faith with- 
in the veil. There you will behold Immanuel en- 
throned, and all the host of heaven worshipping 
at bis feet, . admiring and adoring, because shar- 
ing in bis divine excellencies. The beauty of this 
aght makes- an eternal heaven. Tlien, if your 
faith have any ears to bear, listen : O, what me- 
lody do they make ! What notes do these gol- 
den harps strike ! What voices accompany them I 
What a harmony ! The words I understand-^ 
tney arc sjDguBg S«foa/io».^o our God ^ ivbo jiftet^ 



r ROMAITSIE'S: 

upon the throne ^ and lo the L{tmb for ever. But 
their manner of singing is peculiar to die place. 
l%e air can form no such sounds. They can be 
only in the element of heaven. When your faith 
comes down from this high flight, and it is not 
capable of being long tbere^.tben look around 
you, .. and 'whatever object your eyes -first flx^upoa, 
if they be spiritually- exercised, « you will see sonu^ 
ray of our ImmanueP^ glory, Tht bo^k of nature 
is the outward record of his fame. Some of his 
great achievements are engraved in every part 
of the creation. The sun, moon, and.st£u*s^ the 
earth, with all its production?^ in fult concert, join 
the choT above, and^ in perfect unison, sound forth 
the glory of ouf Immanuel. And suppose I direct 
your eye to an object, which I know you do not 
like to look at<«»TOy rself. Even there I can 
find, O that you may, as great a proof of the 
Redeemer's glory, as any where else upon eartir: 
fcHT what are you? Are you not* a poor, misera- 
ble, helpless sinner? His crown depends upon 
his ^viiig. such. What do you feel within' you— » 
tell all your complaints. These just fit you to live 
on the Saviour^s fulness. Look at your outward 
estate, tell me that part of it, which does not dis- 
play the Saviour's ^pry. What does fortune say^ 
and health, and friends (I put myself in}— let .me 
he. their mouth : We are M the ffjti of, fpmft 



letters; 9 

dch hve, — Love hhn for bestoiving us upon you. 
And the more you have, love him more. And 
mind, you cannot, never will, love him too much. 
Try— put forth all your strength— 4ic will still be 
above your affection, tie best, the utmost of it. 
I wish you much of his company this Christmas-^ 
many a sweet visit from him. When you are 
fery familiar,, put a word in for me. O how I 
long to be more, intimate with him« But he is 
kind indeed, exceedingly Idnd. Dearest, dearest 
Jesus ; may he never leave you without some to* 
ken of bis love 1 Paper, fails. Farewel. 

W. ft. 



«» KOMAINE'S 



LETTER II. 



LiimbcthfrjM^, 4 8, ■ i f6^^ 



MI^'DEAR FRIEND^. 



r 



oiTEJi remember you in thirbest place^ and 
for the best-purposes : Biit cannot bring myself 
tolovethe writing of letter>;yet Fhave again taken 
up my pen to wish you every spiritual blessing 
purchased by the life and death of our incarnate 
God ; and that will make you as happy as you can 
beion^dBs^de of heaven. In this new year, may 
jeiix grow in the knowledge of the excellency of 
bhmost adorable- person^. of his completely finished 
srivation» and of your qwn particular interest ia 
it^ and, having these believing view*, may you 
glorify him by living happily upon his fulness! I 
know a little of these matters, and but little ; yet 
I am sitting, abashed at my ignorance, at my 
master's feet. He has made me willing to hear 
his words, and I find his lips so full of grace, that 
I cannot spare a moment for my Homer or Vir- 
gil, xny favourite Tully or Demosthenes. Adieu, 
for* ever, to all the classics. . I see a heavenly life^ 
u well as a matchless beauty in my Lord's word§4» 



\ 



LETTERS. ^i 

|ind chough I am a^uH scholar^ yet be is a Messed 
piaster, He keeps me waiting upon hioi; day by 
daji trusting uathing to my own understanding, 
but listening continually to hb instruction ; so he 
gets all the glory of making me^iseunto sahra- 
tion. To this great prophet may you repair for 
instrucdoi}^ 9II this year 1 ^He teaches, as never 
man taught. His doctrine is with power and de- 
monstrati^i of th&Spirit. ' Hecanso humble your 
pride, that you shall be as^depeodant on him as a 
new-born bab$^; and then, having emptied you 4if 
your own car»a! reason, and false wisdom, he wsH 
enlighten -you, by his ^ord and Spirit, with sav- 
ing truth, ^ere &e humblest scholar learns the 
most : indeed he bas*lcarned the most ; for our high- 
est lessou is.fioieacn, how Xa live upon him, who 
was made of .trod untous wisdom; and he, who re- 
lies most upontbjin.fur that wisdom, will certainly 
\^ the wisest.' If tho^wholeiWorid was4niiie,and 
I could purchase what I would with it,- 1 would 
give it all to be a scholar made poor m spirit at 
Christ's feet : and what then can I wish, my dear 
friend, better, than to be oneof his little children, 
whom he teaches bis mind and will > cQuly I could 
wish you more bumbled, that you may more per- 
fectly learn the two blessed trutlis, which he is ex- 
alted to teach his people; namely, to believe in 
liis blood and righ^co'4sncss, and to live upon his 
grace and power. 



la ROMAINE»S 

His prophetical office is to teach us, how to be al* 
ways saje^ by believing in him, and always happy^ 
by living upon him. He has the residue of the 
Spirit with him, and he sends him into the be- 
lievers heart, to be always preaching this most 
comfortable doctrine, that whatever he wants 
for his acceptance at the bar of justice, it is per- 
fectly to be had, and freely in rlie fulness of the 
Lord Christ. Sills as red as scarlet, sins as nu- 
merous as the stars, or as the sandupon the sea- 
shore innumerable, and nature as black as hell, a 
heart as wicked as the devil, the divine and eter- 
nally precious blood of Jesus, can so cleanse and 
purify, that not one spot shall remain: for he is 
Almighty. He ha<i allpower in heaven and earth 
to pardon sin. If I bad been guilty of all the 
5ins of Adam and Eve, and of all their descendants 
to this day, ytt, believing in him, I should be safc4 
because bis blood dennseth from all sin. And, in 
Christ, the believer has a better righteousness than 
that of the angels; theirs is -finite, his is infinite-— 
'^ a better righteousness than that of our first parents 
in paradise, theirs was the righteousness of a crea- 
ture, and they lost it ; this is the ri^^htcousness of 
God, and it is an everlasting righteousness, never 
to be lost. It is the righteousness' in which the 
saints stand before God, for ever and ever. When 
the holy spirit takes of these things of Christ, and 



LETTERS. 1^ 

'peaches them Co the heart, oh, Vfh^ a sweet 
|>eace follows ! for the believer then finds him- 
self saved from all the miseries of sin, and etltitled 
to all the blessings of etenal glory. And being 
thus persuaded of his safety, by believing in the 
atoning blood of our great high priest, then tlie 
holy spirit teaches him how to live upoq Christ, 
and how to make use of Christ's fulness. On our 
learning thid lesson depends our comfortable walk 
- heaven-wards: for Christ does not give us a stock 
bf grace, and expect us to iniprove it by being * 
faithful to grace given. No, no ; that is not his 
way, ©ur souls must depend upon him, as our 
-bodies do upon the elements of this world. Eve- 
ry moment we must live by faith upon his fulness, 
and be evci^ moment receiving out of it grace 
for grace. And this is our happines; ; to have all 
in Christ. A beggar in myself, but rich with un- 
searchable eternal riches in hiuK 'Ignorant still 
in myself, but led and taught by his unerring wis- 
dom. A sinner still, but believing in his blood 
and righteousness. Weak and helpless still, but 
kept by his ahnighty love. Nothing but sorrow 
in myself, nothing but j(>y in him. Oh ! this is 
a blessed life. No tongue can tell what a heaven 
it is, thus to live by faith upon the Son of God. 
"thanks be to him, I know a little of it, and I 

C 



14 ROMAINE'« 

<annot but heartily pray that you may know more 
of it this year than you ever did. Surely I could 
not have thought some *years ago, that there was 
such an heaven upon earth as I now find—- bless- 
ings for ever on the Lamb! May you find it 
more and more! JSweet Jesus! keep you my 

..dear friend. 

Yours, 



CETTER IIL 



Lambeth^ March 26> 1763. 



T 



HANKS to my dear friend for her kind let- 
-ter this morning 1 The subject enquired after is 
what I have been bng exercised about, both in 
my own soul and in my ministry. And for the 
sake of weak believers, and to save myself great 
ti-ouble in continually conversing with these persons, 
I resolved to write a little treatise upon the sub- 
ject. I trust my time and strength, what I have 
and am, k now the Lord^s. J wish he may use 



i 



CETTEKS. 15. 

ide as lie pleases for bis own glory. M/ wridngs 
2tre tb set forth hi» praise^ and to exalt his salva- 
tion, llie enclosed plan will shew you what I 
propose, and to make it more easy to be under- 
stood, I shall relate it by way of txpcrienc", giv- 
ing an account of the Life of Faith, as it was be- 
gun in one of my acquaintance, and carried on ta 
this day/- hd being now a father in Christ ; and I 
^all make remarks upon it as I go on. The sub- 
ject is but little known. I pray you, my dear 
fiiend, forget not me, nor my book. Beg of the 
-Lord Christ to bless it. If he smile upon it, it 
will be useful to his people^ That is my highest 
wish. May it be fH^oiitable and useful to your 
souH- 

I have many fetters to-WTitc to-nightj and yet I 
could not help acknowledging the receipt of yours. 
To-a precious Jesus I- command you. To his love 
and- to his power leave all your matters. What 
cannot, whBt will not he do for you, if you do but 
trust hiin> Are they not all happy in heaven ? It 
is his happiness. They have it from him. Trust 
him, and he will not only brings you safe there, 
but also make you happy by ihc way. Oh1 what 
a savor is there in his name ! I did but just men- 
tion him, and I can scarcely stop my pen ; his love 
sp warms my hearts Dear precious Jesus, thou 



i6 '' RO MAINE'S ^ 

ait above all blessing and praise, fill my friend'*^ 
heart with thy love, and makk her rejoice in thy. 
linished salvation. My kind respects to Miss — -^^ 
and pray tell her she cannot possibly think too 
highly of Christ, nor love hiav too much, nor live 
too much by faith upon him* His salvation i^ in-, 
finite and eternal ; The love of him for this salva- 
tion is heaven upon earth, and living by faith up« 
on him for the present gracesand the future glories 
of this salvation, is getting every moment fresh 
tokens of his love to us, and exd ting fresh love 
to him. In short, I wish die may be married to- 
Christ s and then bis person being bers^ his hon^* 
ours^ \m estate^ and all he has will be hers ako. 
Once more to that dearest of all names, Jesvs, I 
eommendyou> end am yours uafeignedly for bis, 
sake^ 



r^' 



LETTERS. 17 



LETTER IV. 



Lambeth, May 14, 1763. 



B, 



^L£S6£D be the God and Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christy who bath blessed you with so many 
blessings ab:eady> and who having begun will not 
cease to bless you in life and death, and for ever 
more ! Your letter of May id puts me in mind of 
his goodness^ as I wish all things may* "^It rejoices 
my very heart to see him displaying the glories of 
his grace far and wide, from London through Eu- 
rope, from Europe to Anierica ; yea,, as far as 
the sun travels his fame is spread. And does he 
not deserve it ? Oh, my friend, what have we to 
tell of> but the loving kindness of Jesus, and 
what to praise, but his wonders in saving such as 
we are, and in saving so many of us?. Blessings 
for ever on the Lamb ! May we glorify him by 
resting upon him for righteousness and strength, 
and by living wholly upon him for grace and glo- 
ry. Then all goes well, when 

On all beiidei his prccions blood. 
On «U besidti the Son of God s 
Wo trample boldly, and diiclatm 
Ali-oiber Savionrt, bat the Lamk* 

C X 



1/ 
/■ 



As to what you incntion aboot> I know not what 
to say. It is in the best bands* He knows wbat 
to do. Let hiin alone. Remember be is tbe 
head of tbe churchy, and he will look after bis- 
own matters^ and well too. At present I see not 
my way clearly, from London. Here my master 
fixed me^ and here X must stay till he call me to- 
some other place. When he would have me to ' 
move, be will let me know bis will. Besides, 
what am I ? What does it signify where I am .^' 
A poor dumb dog, the vilest, the basest, of all 
the servants- of my Lord. If you could sec what 
is passing for any one hour in my heart, you^ 
would not think any thing of me; you would:' 
only admire and extol the riches of Jesus's love 
Wonderful it is, that be should set his heart upon- 
such a very incarnate devil, and humble me so as - 
to make me willing to be saved by. his sovereign, 
grace ; and that he should send such an one tOf- 
preach his gospel, and bless it too to many souls, 
(while every seniion covers me with shame and* 
confusion) oh, this is wonderful, wonderful, eter- 
nally to be admired, grace ! What cannot he do,, 
who can form a preacher out of such a dry rottea 
stick, fit for nothing but the fire of helL\ Glory> 
glory be to him alone,, and for ever,, and for ever 
more*^ All the tongues ia beav«D> iind in eaEtb,r 



5: tgr 

men and angels throughout eternity, cannot praise 
Hiin enough for what he has already done for my 
soul, and therefore I am, and I shall be content 
to be, a poor bankrupt debtor for ever. Hereby 
I shall be enabled for ever to exalt him, and to 
put the crown upon his head, and that is all I 
want. It wiH be heaven enough to join that bles^ 
sed company, vrho arc crykig, fForfhy is the 
Lamb (bwt none clsc)'fo receive bless ing and glory ^^ 
See. Nbtiijng is mentioned among them but Je- 
sus's goodness, and he does not leave himself with* 
eut witness among us pooB sinners. He has been 
dobg miracles of mercy for Lady H— — and as 
she herself says^ In the midst of judmtent he 
remenAered mercy. You, have heard, I suppose 
ef Lady S' - - - ' s ilhicss. She had a violent fever 
for ^bout seventeen days, and the physicians did 
not apprehend she was in any great danger, al— 
Aough she was- near her end* On Thursday 
morning about four o^clock,. the Lord took her 
to himself. O what a stroke was that, say you^- 
to Lady H— — t No, indeed, it was all mercy, all 
love, like the rest of Jesue's gracious dealings with 
his people. Dwing her illness, Lady H— had 
every day many promises given her of God's kind- 
ness to her daughter; all wliich she interpreted 
in a camaL sense, like the J<:ws, and thought her 



» KOMAINE^S 

daughter would recover, and do well agsdn, JSjf 
this mean she was wonderfully supported, and 
her spirits were kept up to the last. And when 
the Lord let her see things were otherwise intends 
ed than she thought, theD he had prepared for 
her a jfi-esh fund of Comfort. £or such was Lady^ 
-S— *s behaviour, and such her speeches, from 
tbe beginning of her illness, that there is no doubc 
. but she died happy in the arms of Jesus. ■ My dear 
friend, if I bad time to tell you all>tbe particulars 
of her death, your soul would abundantly rejoice, 
and all that is within you would bless the God of 
your salvation. To him sS\e committed herself 
trusted him, found him faithful, and declared 
over and over again, that in him she was happy. 
Her last words taher mother, when she took her 
leave, were these: Lady H— — had said, "Nfy 
dearest child, how do you. feel your heart ? are 
you happy ?''•— She answered^, lifting up her head 
from the pillow, which she had not done for sever- 
al days, / am happy, exceedingly happy in JesuS'^^ 
then she kissed Lady H— — and presently went 
home. Although my lady bears this loss so well, 
yet she feels it. She is but a woman, and though 
a gracious one» yet grace does not destroy nature.. 
iShe is a parent, and at present incapable of writr 
ing. I am yours in Jesus. 



LETTERS. %i 



LETTER V, 



MY DEAR MADAM^ 



I 



CANNOT resist the opportunity^ though I 
can but write two or three lines, to thank you for 
your last letter, and for your kindness to me ex* 
pressed in it. V thank God for tlic contents. 
What you say of yourself ia to me very comfort* 
able, because \ see how the Spirio of God is kad* 
if)g you. Ytt is taking you up into the highest 
form in the school of Christ, and it-teacbkigyoti 
an experience which is not only next to glory, 
but it also glory begun. This being the hardest 
to learn, no wonder you should complain. I 
take notice of your account of your present stat^ 
of your trials, and of the exercises of your faith. 
k great part of your letter is upon these points a 
describing your self-abasement and loathing at the 
sight and s^nse of what you are in yourself, and 
wondering' that such an one as yon should be 
brouglit to know, to believe in, and to love our 
Jxsus. 

Now, my good friend, I must tell you, if yon 
bad. writtcm to me and desired me to give you 



^^hC 



zt ROMAINE^S 

the character of a true christian, I should have' 
copied it from your letter. I -coeld not have left 
one circumstance out. All that you mention of 
your bdng tried, afflicted in body and mind, 
brought low, and kept low; sometimes mourn- 
ing at the strength of coiTuption, and at the 
weakness of ydui* graces ; at your love to earthly 
relations, and at your love to our Jesus-:— one so 
stTongy the other so weak. Your trials on these, 
and many other accounts, such like; are such as 
no true disciple of Christ> in your circumstances, 
could be without. My answer should hav« been. 
Me is exactly iv^at Mrst, — — says she is. For in 
reading the scripture I can find but these two 
things spoken of the office of the Holy Spirit : 
He first enables the sinner to receive Ciirist by 
fiiith: and then taiiVe upon htm, soreceived for 
all things^ If you examine these two rules care- 
fully, you will sec that all the teaching of the 
holy Sph-it may he rcdoced td^ them, and if you 
examine younelf by tbe light of the word, yoa 
will have i|q doubt but that you are among them 
to whom the^jjomise was made : all thy children 
shall be taughr%^God. For have you not re- 
nounced your rigli^usness, as well as your sins > 
have you no more dependance on your good works, 
than on your bad works i Is not the holy nature 



•^ XETTEUS. tf 

• 

of jrour Immanuel, his Infinitely holy Iife^ hisevcF- 
lastiiigly precious death; bnot this complete work 
of his the only ground of your hope ? " O yra^ 
^'siyyouy on this rock I lay my foundation^ I 
'^' build all on it for time and. for eternity.'' Very 
well ! then certain ic is^ the holy Spirit has done 
his first work in you. He has enabled you to re- 
ceive Christ, now he is corvymg on his work, the 
^second part of the same lesson, Avhich is enabling 
>you to live i^^n ^Christ received. This is very 
! hard to learn/ it is against nature, against our na* 
tural love for law and works, our legal lookings 
at self, our foolish hope,, if I live longer I shall be 
better. it is hafd, TTSid it to this hour, like 
leaping over-board in a storm, to cast myself 
dimply on jEs«fs for every thing; but it must be 
done* The Spirit abides with you for this pur* 
^se : that he may. take of the. things of Christy and 
shevj them to you^ and /o glorify him* When he 
•is teaching this heavenly truth we kick against it, 
we pervert it. When we gQ on the best, we 
rChink we are at the worst. But he abides, to con- 
quer our opposition, to set right what we pervert, 
end to convince us all is and shall be well. Mwiy 
he thus bless a word spoken to the Saviour's 
glory. 
My dear friend, you know h pleaded the Father, 



24 ROMAINE'S 

that all fulness^ should dwell in our Jesu^^ k 
pleases the Spirit to witness of it, and to gloriff 
it* How ? in what way ? why, jtist as he is teach^ 
ing you. He is bringing you to live out of your- 
self iipon the fulness of j£»uis: mind how he does 
it. He shews you first that you vant such a thing, 
then that you cannot get it any where but from 
Jesus, and then he leads you to thii^k^ that trust- 
'ing to his faithful word, you may experience, how 
ready his heart, how able his hand is to- supply all 
your need. This is a bcggar^s life, here's notl>r 
ifcg but alms. We doit't like it* We want some 
stock: if w« could get it, we should like an inde- 
pendent fortune. Bat it mjiy not be. The Spirit 
of Jesus will witness of nothing, and glorify noi 
thing but the S.iviour'« alUsuffieient grace. And 
therefore he sets himself against all our greatness 
and goodness. That he who gloricth may glory 
only in the Lord Christ. And when he is bringing 
us to this true glorifying of the Lord, we mistake, 
we pervert his lessons, 1 know I do, and I think 
you do. W- botli fail in our experience, as your 
letter clearly proves to me^ 

If yo»l ask me how you may become a better 
scholar ? a^ I have been taught, I would gladly 
inform you. 

Redd and pray foe more self^-knowledoe ; 



-/ 



I 






'\. 



LETTERS. 25 

^^GoA's w6fd and Spirit will teach you nothing about 
yourself^ but what will humble you to the dust, 
and keep you there. Read and pray for naore 
knowkdgeof Jesusi his person, God-man : his sal- 
vation-work; infinitely and everlastingly perfect : 
lie yours, now he is received; and all he has, and 
all he is, as Jesus^ yours iti title, and, so far as 
you believe, yours now in possession. 

Read and pray for more faiItM, that what yoti 
"^have a title to, you may tj^e possession of, and so 
make constant use of it. Your estate is great, 
immensely great. Use it and live up to it; as you 
do in temporals, so do in l^pirituals. Your money, 
your land, your air, your light, your meat and 
drink, and house and clothing, these you use: 
but you have not them in you: only being yours, 
they are used*;' you. So do by Christ. When 
the Spirit would glorify Jesus, he- humbles you. 
When he would glorify his fulness, he makes you 
feel your emptiness. When he would bring you 
to rely on his strength, he convinces you of your 
weakness. When he would magnify the comforts 
of Jt»us, he makes you sensible of your misery. 
When he Would fix your heart on his heaven, he 
makes you feel your deserved hell. When he 
would exalt his righteousness, you find you are a 
;poor miserable sinner. Can you, my friend. 



a6 ROHAINE'S 

practise this ; let nothing keep you from Jestts. 
Whatever you need, whatever you feel wrongs 
may it bring you to the Saviour^s fubess : O that 
all things may help forward your acquaintance 
with him. I except nothings neither sin nor scm:- 
row : I would carryall to him;..as one. great lump 
of sin> and receive all good from:iumy as the only 
storehouse of good for wretched sinners. In tins 
communion I desire to grow: foe this Ldesire-.to 
five : ^*0 that you and I inay learn it more, and get 
every daymearer fellowship with our sweet Je^vp, 
growing up into him in all tMngs. 

See how my pen runs on as fast-a^ I can-M^ite, 
My very "heart and soul are enamoured with hira: 
I love his name: I adore Ms person^ he is my 
heaven. O what treasures are there ki our Jesus* 
May his glorious Spirit witness for him to your 
heart. Believe me your very sincere friend, a 
'Well wisher in that matchless lover of sinners, and 
,4m£ crf-tbe ^hief of them. 



LTETTEftS: vt 



LETTER VI. 



BRIGHTHELMSTONBi, Sept. X, 1 763. 



r 



HAVE £tt last gdt a spafe hour to xK^ite ta 
lay dear friends at — , and to tell them how 
much I wish all spiritual blessings in Christ }esus 
may be* tbc&rs. Snice I left you, aU has been hurry, 
Ravelling from place ,ta pUice^ till kind Provi* 
deuce has brought me td Brighthehnstone, where 
I hope fora Uttte rest; not so much to my souL 
Blessed be the grace of isweet Jesus^ I have that; 
but rest from diitracdon, hurry, dust, heat, and 
want of sleep. This is a kind of haven after a 
. storm. Not that I expect a continual caltti here* 
It' would be a sad place in<feed, if there were no. 
enemies, no warfare, na tri»ls and troubles in it. 
These I must have, wherever I go; because they 
grow in my con6tituti<Hi, and are nourished in the 
body of sin: and because without theml should 
D0t know how to prize Christ. But I find my 
retired and private times are the best-for my own 
soul, as more public times are for others : and yet 
^chat sweetest Messed Jcsus^ when I am in his work* 



\ 



takes care of me, and, when I am watering other?;, 
he docs not leave me unwatered myself. I am a 
witness for him. L have b«cn preaching of his 
salvation many years in the midst of a crowd, liv- 
ing all the time in a. great hurry, aiid yet I gain 
every year some fresh knowledge of myself, some - 
more knowledge of my incarnate God, and some 
steadier trust and^^ dependence upon him; smd 1: 
can say, it is good for me that I have bden a podr 
despised preacher of Qirist Ji^sos. 

Now. what can I wish my dear friend more for. 
her peace andMessedness, than that the ^ear Sav^ 
sour may do for her,^ what lie has done for me,^ 
onlyv in a greater degvee: for I- am sure it is a/ 
growing thing* In the knowledge of .ourselves 
we may certainly increase. Tiftre is a mystery, 
of iniquity in us, which we shall not perfectly 
comprehend a^iong;as we live. Bat, as we make 
fresh discoveries of it^ we shall see our want more 
of Christ, and thereby get more knoivledge of the 
great mystery of godliness. Hie sense of our 
manifold wants^ will magnify the riches of bis- 
grace in supplying them. So, the lower, man is 
abased, the higher is the Savipur exalted^ And* 
this will of course bring us to make more use of 
him, to trust hhn more, and to live more upoiv 
bim,. whitb is the Wcssoiloess of feitb... WhetiL 



LETTERS. ap 

£^1 Che depth of my distress and wants, and the 
infinite riches c^ Jesus's grace to supply them, 
then faith does its- office aright, when it is not 
discouraged by a sense of many increasing wants, 
hut is thereby made to cleave closer to Jesas, and 
t& prize him mc^re. This is. my present state. 
And ifi it I have at times a pleasure, which cannot 
be described; The height of Jesus's grace is so 
escactly suited to ^e depth of my distress,, that I 
am ready: to ^ory in^it. I would not be without 
one dngle want. My wants, are my happiness. 
They make Christ so exceedhigly desirable, that 
fresh wants add to him, in my eyes, fresh beauty. 
It is a^kleasure u> be in his debt, .yea,, the greatest 
I know of. I would not have inherent ri^teousp 
nes8, if I could get it for nothing. I would not 
be rich, and increased in goods, and have need of 
nothing from him, if it was^ possible. His glory 
is. my heart's delight, and therefore,, J We to 
glorify him ^jy Jiving upon his*fulness. ► lyfiothing; 
He, ALL in all ! When it is thus with me, I am 
safe and happy. I am the greatest fool that ever 
lived— •! fbei it — and that ipakes his wisdom so 
precious. I am the chief of sinners, I find it daily, 
and that makes his blood and. righteousness my 
continual delight. I have as many evil, tempers as 
the^evil; oh, how diey stir, .and fight against the 

D 2 



3^ ffOKAINE'S 

Spirit r but Jesm is my saDctificatioii. He has 
given them their deaths wound,. and, by and by, 
they will exjrire, and be no more. In myself I 
deserve hell cvery'moment;' but Jesus is my re- 
demption, my eternal redemption. Oh! bo^nr 
my heart loves him. lie knows it well. And if 
I am ever vouchsafed (ivhy should I doubt.it?) to 
see him face to&ce, I will acknowledge him to 
be ALL in all, and rejoice to acknowlcdgb k 
for eytr. And it will be the very heaven of hea- 
vens {truly I taste something of heaven in think- 
ing of it) to give him the glory of my crown, and 
to lay it low at his feet. Worthy is the laj^b. 
Tlianks be to him,^ I can sing this song now but in 
a poor itrain to what I hope to do soon. Sweet^ 
Jissus- bring you and me safe to the eternal en- 
joyment of him and his glory. 

lam sorry to stop to tell you of two parcels! 
left at — one for you, and another for Mr. — — j 
I hope they are come safe to Imnd. Enclosed in 
yours, was a Field's bible, the best present I could ' 
think of for your kindness to me, and another 
little pocket bible for dear — — . One favour 
Would I beg, if you would grant it me, and that 
is, for you both to read' the bible over once- in 
these little keep-sakcs. I have many reasons for 
asking this favour, but one is peculiar to mysell^ 



I 



LETTERS. 31 

imraely, that it will often put you in mind of 
pur faithful friend in the bond of the Spirit. 

W. R. 



L2TTFR VIL 



Brighthelmstone, Sept. 26, 1763. 



T, 



HE presence of dear Jesus be with my 
dear friend.-— That presence, which turns darkness 
[ Uitir light, sin into ri^eousness,. misery into bea^ 

I ven. What can you want, if he be with you i 

I he has such a miraculous virtue, that he can turn 

I your weakness into strength, your mourning into- 

! 3079 y<>u^ death into life ; so that there is not in * 

I you any evil effiict of dn, but his almighty grace 

can make it work under him ^for his glory, and' 
for your good. Oh! may his presence be with 
you, as k>ng as you are in this state of weakness, 
and -mourning, and death. Sweet jEsua keep 
ybu— nay, I know^ he vdll. His tender, teving 
heart loves to the «d. Oh, my friend, what a. 



3« ROMAINil^S 

Saviour is he ! Oh, how L love turn ! He knows 
I do ; and yet I am ashamed to tUink how far be^ 
low4iis deserts. By and by I shall do better, wbeil 
you and I meet before his throng -then, then, 
but ——I stop. 

JVoidd — — a- be nvordrtny acceptance P The 
worth of ic does not come before me : but ivhat 
my ^£l$ter expects of me. His will must be my 
rule. And it has been a4oDg time as plain to me, 
as that two and two make four. I am stationed 
by myself. I am alone in Lbndon; And while 
he keeps me there, I dare not move. As when he 
has a mind to remove me, my way will be as plain 
from Londonv as it is now taid)idrin it. If I 
hearkened to self, and wanted to run away from 
the cross, I know of noplace so^snug as *— — ; 
but would you have me^ siich a coward, as to fly, 
and such a one to stand by me — one, who has 
kept me in many 4)attles;> and ^ne, who, I trusty 
will presently make me more than conqueror? 

I have not time to answer your-lettec in other 
pmnts. Only be assured of my prayers (such- as 
they are) for your reading the bible. Remember 
again, Christ is the sum and substance of it alL 
May fiis Spirit* breathe upon it as you read, and 
kad you beyond the letter, to tlie life-^ving $ense. 

I have great faith about «— »»^ You will b« 



LETTERS* 33 

ta£en care of. Do not doubt it. The "govern- 
ment h on Christ's shoulders^ and he docs all' 
things well. Leave it to^ him. But he does use 
means ^.therefore pray write as soon as you Iiave 
fixed on a proper person. My kind love to dear 
Mr. — . I wish him^ as happy as my Master . 
can make him, and then he will be one of thb- 
liappiest men in. this world* Our friends with 
you have my hearty good^wishes for their better 
acqu^ntance with the precious Lord Jesus, and 
more faith 4o get mor^out of his fulness^ To 
bim I commend you dX\, and your present case 
at » and am, with my wife's respecrs, for hH 
sake, your fsuthful friend and jservant, 



LETTER Vm. 



Lambeth, April 17, 1764* 



Mj^ dear friend, 



I 



HAVE just now received your letter, and 
rtiank you for the kindness you express in it to me. 
I,am pretty well ia health, and loaded wath bene-. 



54 ROMAINE'S 

fits— nothing but mercy, ricli mercy every dayzf 
All the dealings of -my most precious Jesus, with 
my soul, are grace and love. He not-only prcK 
mises,cand> by faith, makes me rely on him for 
heaven; but now, even now, I am as it were in 
heaven: for I live upon his heavenly Wessings. 
Vile and base as I am, yet,^he lets me approach 
him, and converse with him freely. . He;vouch- 
safes to admit me into fellowship with him, and 
he opens his treasures, and says,* — ^^ AH these are 
^^thine-^I bought them for thee with the price 
**of my bloody, but I give them to thee as a free 
<^gift. Take this for the earnest/, accept tbis foir 
'^the pledge of aU the resti and bH mine are 
*'thiiie.''— Yes, Lord, I believe it— on thy word 
do I trust, and I rely upon thy faithfulness to 
make it good to me. I desire to glorify thee, 
amidst air my wants, and sins, and miseries, by 
living out of myself upon thine* infinite fulness. 
Empty me still more, blessed Lord, be daily emp- 
tying me more, thAt I may be capable of holding 
more of thy good things. What do you think of 
this? Is it not heaven begun? What is heaven, 
but the perfection of this life of grace ? Believers 
now live with Christ; they now live upon Christ. 
Christ is their all: for the life which they now 
tive in the. fleshy tlity live by the faith of the Soiv 



tETTERS. 35 

*<c>PGod :' aud what a blessed life this is, I have, in 
Some small degree, experienced ; and, what the 
Lord has tau^t me, I have endeavoured to set 
forth and make publicf fair his glory, and the com- 
fort of weak believers. The little book is finish- 
ed. May my ever dear Jesus shine upon every 
page, as you* read it, and strengthen your faith, 
and warm your- heart with his heavenly love, I 
beg your prayerr for a-i)lcssing on this book : I 
beseech you do not forget it for your own sakes 
and mine, and all the houshdd of faith. To 
: Jesus's love I commend you and Mr.— — , and 
. am, by many ties, your servant in. the gospel. 



LETTER IX. 

July 3, 1764. 

HAVE my dear friend's letter of the 19th 
of June by me, and thank you for it. You may 
be sure I am glad to hear the little book agrees 
with whaf God has taught you ; Tiot glad for the 
author's sake, but for Christ^s sake, and for.your^ 




i6 ItOMAlNE^S 

>For Chris fs sMke, because I live, and prtach t.t& 
write to exalt that royal Saviour .-^^h ! how n>y 
heart longs to^see him crowned in your soul, when 
you will go forth, as the command is, and see 

^.king Solomon with the crown of grace and glory 

-on his head, wherewith his mother crowned him 
in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the 

' gladness of his heart ; then all within you will 
gladly bow to his sceptre— *And for your sakcy be- 
cause he is begun to be crowned, since you say 

-you have experienced some of the things in this 
little book. I wish I may help you, God helping 
me to experience more of the glorious majesty 
of our King of kings, when I come down and 
preach at -^— upon that text, and, when I am 
setting forth that sovereign prince and Saviour, 
may his Spirit then crown him in your conscience, 
an'd enthrone him in your heart. TJut I cannot 
come the day you mention, because it is my last 
Sunday at St. ©unstatfs, and the week after I go 
down to Brighthelaistonc, and shall be there fot 
a foj'tnighr, and then set out for your place. 

Till that -time come, I shall be wishing you> 
what I am always desiring for myself, a stronger 
sense and clearer feeling of my wants, and more 
faith to live upon Jesus for the supply of them, 
ISTien you have nothing in joursclf to be j^leascd 



XETTERS. ^> 

""^iiibf .all .vnretchedneis Md he^essncte, then 
^s^ut4 -Jesus be paost.^^iouv— be being the AI- 
la^hcjr Saviour of such it wretched iheljpless crea- 
^ tore. A .map ibac has a plentiful table thinks it 
a bappiQessy that, he sita down hungry and thirsty 
-rrso shouMyxHa, when every thing within you is 
flaying-^*' Here . yx)ti can do nothing— ^here you 
can do nothtog, mtbcm Chrht.^-^Tben faith 
^should say^ it is trUe^l cannot; but be has in him 
^'tbat very thing which I want, and he has promis- 
ed to give it me, and on him I depend for it. 
Such a dependence is heaven upon earth. I find 
it so : nor would I have it otherwise. What would 
become of me, if 1 were rich and increased with 
goods, and found no need of any thing? Why 
then,* I should not feel my want of Christ, I could 
not live upon him, a,nd so should become comifort* 
-less. JMy dear friend, believe rae I have been try- 
ing all ways to happiness, but aU have failed me, 
till this one-^and here I am settled. I want no- 
thing, but Christ. People 4;ell me, I must sub- 
mit to this ordinance, and be joined to such a 
church, and come under church^dispipline, and 
must be dipped, Src. <&-€. I. have Christ — ^1 want 
tio more.-p*-This is making Christ of him. And 
'this saves us from ten thousand thousand snares and 
^tsoubles in life. I assure you, it has brought nkc 



S» ROMAINE^S 

such peace, as I scarce thought it posslUe Co bave 
in this world. Excuse me then, when I wish yoa 
poorer and poorer cveiy day, that you may be 
l-kher in Christ. I ^ball-not cease to remember 
you as above, till you hear fardier from yours in 
that most sweet and lovely Chri8t,.tbe fidrest, yea, 
the very beauty itself, of all the fiur. Oh! hqw 
4 love him, and he loves a poor wretch. 

.W. R. 



LETTER 'X. 



UARTLEPOOt, Aug. 7, 1764. 



I 



RECEIVED my Mdear friend's letter, and 
think she overlooks our ever adorable Jesus, ia 
setting any value upon a poor, dirty worm. If 
bis grace raise it'from a dunghill, and set it upon 
a throne with his princes, who^hall have the glory. 
Hie worm, or Jesus? Shall any of his due praise 
be given (ojt? God forbid! There ought to be 
an. holy jealousy in you and me, that we rob not 
our God of his glory* If we do rob him of ever 
^£0 little, he will wither all our comforts aiyl 



LETTERS. 39 

gfaces; buC if we give hitn laU the glory, which 
we cannot do, unless he be axl> and we be no- 
thing ; then every thing., will go well with* us, 
Wc get exalted, as we ane humbled. The lowest 
is'the bigh'esc; which ^ makes me fear to look at 
any good in myself^ unless the kind hand, which* 
gave it me, be seen at the same time ; and afraid 
to hear of ady thing gobd'in mysdf, unless I am 
sure my.Masterhas all the-praisei The plan, up-« 
oot which i ^act herein, is this : Long.experience 
and tnany*-huttibBngs have brought mC' to it. I 
have grieved to see how much of my-rime runs to 
waste, partly .for. want of knowing what to do^ 
and*: partly ^throisgh perplexity -about what was^ 
done, lest it wasnot done aright; and therefore 
I was^ led to endeavour to bring the business of 
every day into a little compass, that at one view, 
I 4Tiigbt •satisfy myself, whether I had answered 
the end of living another day.. 

There is no doubt left about tnybelongmg to 
Oiinst; so that this matter is not to be brought in* 
to court again. It has-been tried and determined, 
and is now a settled point. What have I then t9> 
do? What is the work of every day? 

Why, it is to be living still in a constant depend-^ 
ante upon the Lord Christ, and to be growkig 
every day in the knowledge and experience > o£ 
that dependancet 



49 ROMAINE'S 

The dependance is thus expressed : thb jusin^^ 
SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAiTH^. being justified or 
made just, he shall not live by any works, by any 
stock of grace, by being faithful to any talents re- 
ceived, but he shall live upon the Lord Jesus 
Christ by faith; receiving from him continually^ 
§f ace for grace. 

The believer's gromH in this hk dependttice is' 
thus spoken of, Grow pf ^'oce, rnidin^the hio*iJu-' 
ledge and love of God our Saviour. Grace is the 
free loveof God to poor sinners in thie whole ptati 
of sal vation-^irom first to isastdl is df grace ; and . 
in the knowledge and eKperieocb of xbis there is^ 
a growth* ' The believer learns more clearly that 
all is of grace, and that he has no hand In saving, 
himself, but an empty receiving hand; Grace 
comes to puU him down, and to set Christ up.\ 
When the heart is estsMished^wich grace, the crea^ 
ture is stripped quite bare^^witbdut a rag to puc 
on, or money to buy., any^ or wisdom to know 
where to get it. Grace pulb down ail high things,- 
Uvels all distinctions, and leaves the poor creator^ . 
nothing at all to trust in, or to boast of, but to . 
live upon Christ^s alms: So that the sense of pur 
lost, guilty, helpless state is the only thing which , 
can make us willkig to receive a whole Christ,^ 
aod<thp abidiqgscn&p of, this will kcc^us willbg^ 






LETTEKS: 

to live upon a vrbole Christ. And while a beikver 
fives thus, how can he grow in grace, if he be 
QQt discovering every day more of the depth of 
iniquity, which is in him? Grace cannot be mag- 
nified, unless nature be Ittimbled* Jesus Christ 
cannot become more precious, unlets self become 
more vile. As the believer dnks i» his own eyes, 
Christ rises in Ms esteem. • And this,; in my opinion, 
i8^growing,in grace. Growing in the sense of our 
weakness magnifies Christ's strength^K>ur stnfiil- 
nesB, his righteousness — our folly, his wisdom — our 
misery, his happiness— ^mr outward sorrowful estate, 
life inward peace and-jO]% Thus the growth in 
the knowledge of Christ, is closely connected with 
the knowledge of self. And that makes me afraid 
of any thing, which tends to weaken this view of 
things; because it would weaken my dependence 
jupon Christ. I should not see nor feel my want 
of him so much, which would stop the working 
of faith^ and thereby eclipse the glory of Jesus. 
You see my jealousy. Aiid indeed I have great 
reason for it. After all my experience, whicb 
you have read injthe Life of Faith, I have a re- 
vokinjg heart. Still I would turn from, and live 
without Christ, if I coukL Pride puts me upon 
i^ Oh it b the very devil, that Pride; it attacks 
oat the heel; but the heart of Christy and waitu 



Ar BTOMAINE^S 

to rob bim of hb crown-^^And I have so smarted ^ 
for it, that the most distant approach is terrible to 
me. Think what yon will of me, but never men- 
tion me, without mentioning that grace of my 
dearest Lord, who has made me all that I ever 
shall be, bur »n and misery^ 

My sweet Jesos has cdtitrived s6 mudi twork 
for me in these parts, and he b so evidMtly and 
powerfully with us, thatT cannot leave my* ndgh- 
bours, who crowd- to hear, far mbre than ev«r^ 
and they are to me as myown sduL Vft arer be- 
yond all description bappy^ iti our loving lovdy 
Lord. Such meetings^ I never knew-^^^and twice 
a day-— and many churches open.. Oh! that I 
could but stay^ am so knit in heart to my neigh- 
bours, and the most of them come and sit quietly 
to hear, that I know not bow to leave thenl. 
But it must be. Adieu my friend*s remembct 
yours in our precious Imnianuel* 



LETTERS;- ' 43 



LETTER XI. 



D«cembeF 29, .1^64.' 



A 



,1jL the blessings tf thb good 'season be ' 
v^b vxf'dtAtfmni: That man) for whom Ghrisc 
was bom, is the greatesti fichest prince upon 
csath-*^4ii9 Tevenuc9| his honotirs, hk 'nughty al- - 
Iks^ liisi^ei^flaMing^ingdomi aire beyond all eon^ - 
ceptkm.' Gbihpanod to* whaft he % and has^ 
cro^vtis^and • empire atie buf play-things far litde 
cHUdpen.^ And he eomesto-all his dignky, by Je^ 
hbvaV^ taking flesh, tliiough wtdch wodderfal 
event he can be nudie^ one spirit>mtl)h Un>~He 
cook our flesb that we migbc uke Us-Spiric«-^e 
was born on earthy that w<e might irave a new 
IMtk from heaven-^e took our sinsf that we 
tnight take Us right^ou9n68S--^<md-our miseries, 
that we might be heks ^h him of his happiness: 
e>utrhaianastomAing"transBdioBis thisf How 
Ml^f the richesr grace,' tdwing tfMr with ever* 
lastftig lovel 'Thl^great 'and blessed' eveotj lay 
irr the br^ast^of Jehdvah inetemityi He ever had 
iiiirhiB b6Bit>. k wa9'bi8:beto^*0aiiraml'p\irpo9e> 



44 RrOMAmE'S' 

that he would take flesh, and display all the gfO" 
ries of his Godhead in the person of Jesus Christ. 
This was his graeious will and everlasting counsel, 
to which all his works have tended, and for the 
executing of which in its full perfection, all things 
are* now working together. When the fulness of 
time was c6me, O what joj was there in heaven 
among the angels who kept^'thtir first-restate! 
They thought it a very .high, hoiiour to be the 
messengers of it, even to poor shepherd^ widi 
whom they could rejoice, that their God and our 
God was become incarnate— behold i brino* 

you GLAD TIDIKG« O? GREAT JOT-^lad tidifigS 

indeed: for they include all the good, 'which infi* 
nite mercy has to give,* -and the sinmur 'can recei ve* 
HerebjT ligh( comes to them, who are utdng..iii 
darkness^ and 4ife to them who are in the shadow 
of death— pardon -to the guilty— 'Comfort to the 
mourning— liberty tothe capdve — strength to th« 
helpless— and heavea to the miserable. How 
blessed -a change do tl^y experience, when by 
fadth they know and can say>^ Unto us a Cf?ild is 
bom^ unto us a Son is pven* < For tins k the sav^ 
ing truth, Jesits is the Christ, the man is Je» 
hovah, God and man in one Christ, the child bora; 
is^the mighty God and the Son given is the ever- 
lAsdng .Fadio:— the Virgin's Son is launaaueV 



LETTER'S. 45' 

Gbd with usy and her infant babe is her eternal 
Saviour. Except die hdld believed '<bisy she could 
not have been saved^^noncan we ; and yet it is a 
truth so far out of the reachof manYunderstand- 
ingy that he couldtiever have thought of it, unless 
i&hadbeeh revealed, nor^caiihe now comprehend 
it, unless he be taught it of God : for no man can 
say that Jesvs. is the LOrd>> is J£hovah, but by 
d)eHoly Ghost. Hdre then>. my^^r friend, is 
matter of thaakfuiness to |fou aild me; that we 
are taugt^ tlmof God. Happy. Cbristtuas to m^ 
ance we have Hired to ^lear. and understand the 
great mysteryof godfiness-— God scAKirstT^iir: 
TH£ TLESB*. UapptcT sdU^ that we believe its 
for whomsoever the Holy Ghost enlightens^witb 
the knowledge ^> this saviag truth, he also .give»< 
faith to receive it--*<o trust iH Christ as God-*4p 
depend upon turn as the ahnigh^ Saviour^-to 
«e1y. upon hisi finished work^r-4Uid to l^y no other 
foundation for any grace or glory^ but the life 
smd death c^ this ever-blessed God-mam This 13 
the way ;iiv which the Hply^ Ghost glpi^iBes JesuSi 
He gives the bcjiever such views of the infinite fid* 
n^ and everlasting sufficiency of loimamiel, that 
hi^ is quite satisfied with him. His conscience is 
fought into sweet peace through the sprinkling 
oLthe blood of the Lamb of God, and when guile 



^ ROMAINE'S 

would arise; aiid unbelieving fears disturb, he w 
enabled through faith in Jesus to maintain his 
peace: because -whatever rendered him hateful to 
God, he sees it removed by his adorable surety; 
and whatever God could love him for, be finds 
lumself interested in it tiiroughr the infinitely pre* 
cious obedience of the Lord our righteousness. 
Thus he enterrinto the promised rest^ Thus he 
maintains himself -an itv He can desire nothing, 
but the Saviour has k^ and^^henr he asks, he re- 
cdves it from him : so that the Saviour more than 
fills up all his wanc^->for he satisfies all his wishes t 
he says by sweet experience— -this is all my 

SALVATION, ANI> ALL' 2fTD£SIR£. 

And what greatly- ad^S sdll to this happiness is, 
that it is' ever, cvctv gro wtag— -may you «nd I find 
it so. As the believer is made to see hb absolute 
safety in Jesu^, so does he partake more of his 
graces and blessingsr In^ hearing aud reading the 
descripdons of the Lbrd ChHst in his divine per- 
soui and in 4iis mosl^ gracious offices, the Holy 
Spirit, sets ii^ with those descriptions^ and presents 
the inestimably glorious Saviour before the eye 
(^ faith wiHi the most attracting loveliness. AH 
the sweets, an J beauties, and joys scattered 
tln-oughout the universe are only little drops out 
of the ocean of Jesus's fulness. Tjicre is not any 



LETTERS. V47 

^ dbgect made to gratify any sense, but the -Hdy 
^Spkit shews the belkver that very thing in its 
highest perfection, in the infinitely rich Saviour, 
amd ^vea liuii a deKghtful earnest, and by faith 
a foretaste of it. By. which xneans his wb^le 
heart and soul, grow entii'elyin love with that 
beauty of ^1 beauties, and he says, and it is hea- 
ven to feel it, Thii. is my bdove^^. and this is my 
fiiend. 

I have n}ore> far more to say, but— —— is wait- 
ing. Pray, my dear friend, leave for ever out of 
your mind and writing-^ f I knew*— if I believe 
— O, why do you doubt. ^ The good Lord keep 
tyou and yours. I am in bonds .which cannot be 
sitfolcen, yours in Jesus. 

^W. R. 



February 14, 1765. 

if, 



I 



MY DEAR FRIEND, 



^HALL be filling up this paper with 
jifirstj thanking raydcar Master: for ins kindness t^ 



;4S HOMAINE'^ 

> jovu^^Yrommy heart J praise bim-— may you atM 
yours give him the whole -glory of. Ms- tempor&l 
and qnrkual'blessirligs. 

Second^y^ Lpray biin to..coatinue bis Idudness 
to you-na thankfiil temper always has fresh mat* 

^ ter for thankfulness. To pr^se him ifbr the past, 
is the sure way to secure future mercies. Prayer 

^and praise live and 'die together. 

Thirdly, I tdlyou of his goodness to me. -I 

^m nothing but a miracle of his goodnes^-^rhe 
most astonishing that ever was! all, all from my 
first breath to this I am-now. drawing, is mere 
mercy and grace, and so it jwilL be- forever and 
for ever. My ministry is wonderful, chat sucli a 
dumb dog should speak— tsueh a very devil in 
^flesh should feel what be says of that eternally 

.precious Jesus, and be tlie means of making others 

-feel it, and should have no doubt of feeling it 
blessedly to eternity. O, what delightful views 
do these things give me of my sweetest Lord and 
dearest Jesus! He seems willing I should preach 
more, and have a church in the city, but he will 
not let it come too - easily^ least we should have 
whereof to glory. We are at Mk^ about it, anS 
are like to be a great while, but in the mean 
time he is doing all things well. Tlie very mo* 

^^ineat all things are ready^ the church wiU be 



LETTERS. 4p 

''Opened : and, if it never is> he does not want me 
there, with which I am satisfied. 

Fourthly, does all this teach you and me to 
trust this dear La^b of God? It should teach us, 
I hc^e it does. How safely may we trust his 
fetthfulness; how happily rest upon his almighty 
love. All things for the good of soul and body, 
are promised to turn that bclicv«th« O, that the 
Lord may increase your Faith and minei In an 
hour of need may you find him very, very near 
lo your heart, and filling you with joy and peace 
in belie^dng. 

To Jesus I commend you and yours most hear- 
tily, being tied to you in him by the bonds of his 
•everlasting love. Jesus bless you. Amen. 

W. R. 



59 X RO MAINE'S 



LETTER Xra. 



^ay 25, 1765. 



Xr DEAR FRIEHD, 



H 



A VINO aa oppprtunity of sending a note 
by dear Mr. ; I could not withhold my 

pen. What thanks ought we to give to qur .gra- 
cious Lord for, his mercies to you ? :What ought 
you yourself to g}vc? Can you look back upon 
any part of your life, especially the last part df 
ir, and is there any thing upon Avhich you cannot 
write, THIS IS McacT? O9 it is all from first to 
last, to them who are chosen, and called, and be- 
. lieve, and Bve by the faith of the Son of God, 
MERCY — ^frora everjasring to everlasting! A 
mercy before time, a mercy in time, a mercy be- 
yond time! Where is the fountain-head, the 
spring of this mercy? In the covenant of the 
eternal Three. What gives rise to it? No- 
thing but the mere grace and free love of the 
di^dne persons. A motive cannot arise but in the 
purpose and breast of God himself. But on whom 



i 



LETTERS- 

do the streams of thb fountain flow with their 
quickening^ comforting, sanctifying, glorifying 
streams? On the miserable, and none else; for 
none else are the objects of mercy« On such as 
you and me. Mercy has made a rich provision 
to supply all our wants, to pardon all our sins, 
to save us from all misery, to entitle us to all glo- 
ry.. And what! is: mercy, chiefly gjorious in re- 
serving all its blessings, to another world ?. the 
greatest it does, but not all. All are now en- 
joyed in reversion, by faith; and all things are 
working together in Jesus's bands to bring about 
the full and jSnal enjoyment — that the mercy, 
which is above all the works of God, may have. 
fyc ever and ever all the glory^ 
So far I wrote on Saturday night, on Mr. i 

senipng me word, he should gp on Monday^ 

' «. 

Sunday Morning. 

I What a mercy does this d^y call to our remem- 

brance > The Saviour, risen and ascended, sends 
down the divine and faithfld witness for himself— 
J£c shall testify of me — ^bear witness to my person, 
tomy;work, that they are both divine — ^my per- 
son, Jehovah self-existent — my work, as perfect as 
Jehovah could make it. He shall testify of my 
j^ce^ how free it is, I^ow full it is, and shall en-- 



\ 



S2 ROMAINE^S 

abk the sianer^ any poor wretch, however vik itt < 
his own eyes, to ^ trust hts soul in the hands ot 
Jesus. And, having enabkd the sinner to do this, 
then he will testify of Jesus, that he has rccciveti 
him, that he is sifeJa^the anns, and may be hap- 
py in the enjoyment of Jesus^s love. Thus he 
will make tbe soul enamoured with Jjssus ; there 
will appear such consummate beauty^ such mfi•^ 
nke loveliness in his precious jkrson, aa wiK 
eclipse the glory of all other lovers* There wHi - 
appear such trtie happiness in fellowship with hiin^ 
as will quite, dethrone the former idols. Alid> 
when the foolish heart wouUt depart^ he will net 
let it. Then will he testify of Jesus ^To wfaoni 
^ wouldst thou goi Who has eternal life to gin^. 
<<bu(hlQI^ Turn, turn again to thy; res^O my 
soul.* 

If the soul ia, moumingf be will testify of the 
)py that is in Jtsus. If die soul i» burdeiied? catf^ 
thy buirden^ says he, on thy Lord. If the aoql 
has Idst B»j. creature comfort? let it. go, mj^ 
hcb. J^sus ]i,f^ thy salvation, and: thy ;^eat re*^ 
matAi 1^49 90vi is grieved c with;, indwelling 
ito^ il ia&p»iEmed» »ys he, and the Spirit of lifr, 
whiGfi«b..in*Cbriit Jems^ hath made thee free 
from the law of sin and of death. 

Whatever the wauu of the believer are^ the. 



LETTERS. 53 

Spirit's office is to testify of Jesus, there is the 
THiKG YOU WANT, and to glOfify Jesus— there 

TOU HAVE IT FREELY. 

My friend, what mercy is this? TTie Spirit Je- 
hovsdi* abides with you^ to testily of Jesus, and 
that bis salvation is perfect, and to gbrify Jesus, 
by enabling you to live safe and blessed upon him, 
making hitn not only all, but also all in all. 
And, when he has taught you thus to glorify Jesus, 
he will keep you, O, that's sweet! by his almigh- 
ty power, tiQ be bring you to the heaven of hea^ 
vens— die sight and enjoyment of dear Jesus, eter- 
nally dear and lovely Jesus^ 

I9.it indeed so? Why then,, commit yourself 
to this glorious ImmanueL. Wait for the Spirit's 
teaching you all his ways^ and shewing you all 
are well. Remember be has lent you your chief 
earthly comfort only just so long as he pleases. 
Wl\en he takes it, hush, not a ngb. Be still,, and 
Inow that I am God, a sovereifft'^Tbk com- 
mands resignation: but the Lamb's voice is all 
bve. I take him. away, that you may love me 
more, and be hapjner in my love. Let it be so, 
my dear Lord: be thou but present, all is welK 
lEhe Lord bless you and yours# 



Ez 



k 



■J 



54 KOMAINE^S 



LETTER. XIV. 



LAjaan», July 13^ 17%* 



XT DEAR TMBVP, 



I 



couED not ansvrer yoor kiisd letter tilT tfiisr 
iky, my cause has been: to^ be heard- from day ro 
diay before my Lord ChanceHor, but put cff, and' 
yesterday was put off to the next term: so that 
I have, through the good will of my God, an op- 
portunity of seeing yon once more, and to taflc 
together by the way of bar ever lovely, infinitely 
precious Jesus, who has so won my hearty that- 
1 have no relish (Hkc one in love) to talk of any, 
riling but my- Beloveo. Tuesday morning, I 
purpose to set out, and hope to be at -—-about 
noon, Wednesday.next,, where I shall be glad to 
meet (at the old house) some of my dear fellow 
travellers from > Oh, diat our meeting 

may be to Jesus^ft glory! I am in the best of 
f&oods of Jesus'ft own tjdng. Yonr^ 



"t 



EETTERSL ^ 



tETTER XV. 



LiLMBE7!S> Aog. 20> If 6^% 



M 



r dear iKcnc^io.mir eommoii Lor4— of 
whose mercies I atn an amazing moimmem— 
^rhat canf saf ttyTocrof nueandmiMy but write 
upon aft^-CRAGE'^— 6RA6B. I wHl give you an . 
account of my Ufe some weeks pasC^ and joa mH 
see the goodness of my kind JiesusinaU hkdeal*, 
ihgswithme. WhenI wasat Kartlepc»ol» Ibeaid 
from London, that Dr. GrifBtfa ftkcmf^mj wife 
was sick unto death, and he had no^ Jiopev of bcr 
recovcrj^ Thi^ alarmed tati And I set out 
immediately, and stopped noHLtSSi TgoC to LondM, 
where I found dungs ar had as I had been made 
to believe. Bit Dr. OiifBth gare her sometlung^ 
to \rfltch the £iord gave bis Uessing, and il abated^ 
die fyrj of her fstemper^ God hai^g mercy- on^ 
her, and on me also. Lady H— «-» presapg me 
4dlf to come dovm tx). ■ ' ^ i ^ mf wife gave leave 
for me to go, and I went down to Derby Satur-. 
day stf anight. Wc bad there a most rcfrcsWng 



ROMAINFS 

time— Fifteen pulpits were open— Showers of 
grace came down — Sinners in great numbers 
awakened, and. believers- comforted. M^s* «^*— ^^ 
was taken ill, and was ordered to Both, which ^ 
broke up the fsimilyr-the^ went away two days 
aft^rlgoc down— But I staid to preach all the 
week, and especially on Sunday last at Derby^. 
where I was much opposed by the mayor and. the 
churchwardens^ and-the Arian party, bu(tbe Lord 
stood by.me, and I was. in the morning at the 
great church, and in the afternocHi at St. W^r-^ 
burgh'^. In the eren^ig I gpt into the fly alone 
(in good company) and» upon coming, .home last 
Jiight, I found my wife had relapsed, and was 
agsdn in danger, but again the great physician had 
interposed, and we are in hopes all will be well 
again soon. Mercy, mercy is .above all^his works* 

In these proceedings of divine providence, I ad-, 
mire^ several things, such asF-^f 

First, how odd it appears, that fxiends, so dear- 
and beloved as ypu at i ji ■ should be passed by- 
When I went through n ! ■ '> it was night, and^. 
thinks I, who would have thought I should have 
gone byLady M— 's door, without calling? It 
isthe^rd^ doing.-T-As to you, I only sent my, 
Brayers for ypu, of which I hope you bdd tbe^ 



LETTERS. 57 

Scconily, here is a plain lesson for yoii.-— Did 
ypu not expect me? Did yovt not buiW upon my 
coming? You were disappointed. Why? That 
you might cea$e from man. Oh it is good to be 
weaned from creature props and dcrpendenres. 
Whatever does this, is a great blessing. If, there- 
fore, my not coming-has. made you come nearer 
to Christ, Lwould therein rejoice; yea, and there* 
in I do rejdce. xWliat of me? D»wb widi me, 
and up with Christ. Btirt 

Thirdly, 1 can assure jo^ my^ heart was divided ; 
I wanted to be at home, and' I wanted to stay; 
Duty and affection called me one way, in spirit 
I'was and am with you^ and hope ever so to be. 
I am, \rith great respect, yonr c^figed frieiid mA 
tervatit,^ 



LETTER X«t 



Y 



OUR fetter of September 9th. would not 
have bin so long without an amwer, but it was 



• X 



RGMAINE'S 

at my boose at Lambeth, to vtnch I expectecT 
^aily to go finom Bi^gbtfaelmstone to Bath. But 

L&dy H having excused my attendance at 

the dedication of her new chapel, I therefore sent 
to town fior my letter^ and, among the rest, found 
yours: for whichwhat shall I say? What am I, 
the very 'rilest of the vile, that any of the Lord's 
people should look on me? But to think of his 
looking on me, whose eyes are a flame of fire, 
and yet to look .with love;. O what- a- humbling 
tfai^ght is that ! I jdeclare, the more I daily learn 
of my9elf>4*^grow more amazed, how Jesus should 
Jove such a one* But he is all grace, or rather 
grace is Jesus— 4iqC something distinct from ium^ 
but he himself— His -name, because it is his nature. 
Unto him be the pr^se of your kindness to one^ 
who has not a single thing to recommend him tp 
your regaird,, but what Jesus's free grace has most 
marvellously bestowed upon him. Let him have 
tHh glory: for be richlyv deserves it all. What- 
ever-goiodvl receive in this world,' spiritual or 
temporal, I adi inddsited for it to his mere bounty 
—I crown him for it—Take it off my head, and 
put it upon his. This is heaven below: for they 
are doing the same in heaven .above. As we 
throw the crown of grace at bis feet, so do they 



XETTERS. 59 

tthe crown of glory. Thus through him I thadk 
jrou for your letter, and for all your favours. 

As to what you write about my not- c^ing on 
you in my journey; yom* disappointment was not, 
could not he greater than mine. I learned from 
it a good lesson. It is very profitable to take 
notice g£ What providences say; they have a tongi^e, 
and speak loudly, and the spiritual ear-hears, and 
receives instruction. You see what man is, and 
what dependance is to be laid upon him— As I 
was going along the road — ^I heard a voice say- 
ing, Cease ye from mak — from yourself, from 
others — ^put no confidence in them, in your own 
good, in their good, or in any good to be receiv- 
ed from them. The command is^-^Put- not your 
trust in Princes^ nor in any child of man, be be 
wise, or great, or esteemed good — ^Nay lopk not 
at them, but, with a single eye, loqk unta Jesqs. 
In him you will see every thing to put your con- 
fidence in. Grace, matchless grace in bis heart 
and lip?, beauty beyond compapd, ricies unsearch- 
able, honour infinite, righteousness everlasting, 
holiness holy inaking, and that for ever. And all 
these he has to give, freely to give to the un- 
worthy. Look at him believing, and he is yoiwrs, 
and all he has and is. The sight will change you 
ipto his image, As the sun shining puts Jhis glory 



«o TIOMAINE^S 

upon every object; so, does Jesus. O cease ihm, 
from inaQ«— look iKt at blind maoy dark atld be- 
oigbtedj btik iiot at this heavy thick eiiith, nor at 
any of its glittering toys ; they shine only, as shin- 
ed upcm. .Cease from them oHf and look to Jesus. 

^Hie gobd SfHrit4irect and fix your eyes and mine 

^upon hini^ tiH we^^ee heaven in his face. 

.Tliesame voice, still pursuing me, I perceived 

: that I wa««not only to cease from looking to man, 
and all human thin^, but also: to cease fiiom de- 

: pendmg on them*— I was not to live nponthem. 
I coukl, as it were, hear a voice, Xiv^ not uponiis, 
but live upon the Prince' of Life. He is a never 

> failing fountain oS Ufe---He ^»eaks, and the dead 
live-— 'His voice makes and keeps alive« We live 
iy him, and live on him, and in lum. All other 
persons and things, but bin^ concern only the 
perishing, dying life of the body bur the life, 
which lie gives, is his o|wn spiritual, divine,>cternal 

J life. I cannot wish you a greater blessings than to 
hear wtth.pawer, and to find what I did in my 
journey^ — Cease ye from Uving upon man, md live 
upon tne. So we do Lord Christ, the life whiclC 
we now live in the fiesb, we live by the faith of 
theiSon of God. 

From hence I was led to see the necessity of 
ceasing to hope for happiness from all these things 



LETTERS. 6i 

y>DUt us. They have k not to. give. It grows 
not out of that eartbi which layetb in wickedness, 
nor can it be increased by any good under the 
sun : because it is one of the perfect gifts^ which 
cometh down from the Father of Lights. And 
when it is given by his grace, and received by 
faith, then this true philosopher's stone turns all 
things into gold. Faith living upon Jesus, can 
turn those things into happiness, which in their 
own nature could produce notJiiitg but misery. 
•Wondcrfttl transmutation 1 It changes *dafkncss 
into Jigbt, death -into life, weakness into strength, 
sin into righteousness, mourning into joy, htll into 
heaven. By this faith we have Christ in us, the 
hope of glory. Christ dwelling in the heart ; and 
where he is, there all he has is. All things are 
ours — ^salvation from all evil, a title to the love of 
God, and to the glory of God, and a fitness also 
and tncetncss for the eternal enjoyment rf God 
in his love and glory. Cease ye from man then, 
and all is yours. Omay you and I learn to cease 
from all schemes of happiness, in any object, but 
in Jesus. The more we live to htm, the more 
dead he will make us to every thing else. He 
will let you love your relations, nay, he commands 
>you to love them ; but then you must take them 

-G 



62 ROMAINI'S 

from hiiii^ as his bounty, and use them as his gifts, 
dependent on his sovereign wilJ, fre^ to give, free 
to cake away, when and what he pleases. Whe^ 
your will can be made thus really resigned to his 
.will, then he will make you happy, and you will 
feel something of (heir blessed oneness with him, 
who have no will but Ills, and therefore follow the 
vLamb wliithersoever )|e goeth. I mark wjiat 
you say upon that point. A resigned will b not 
where there is no rising of the jElcsh against God^s 
will, but where there is victpiy over the will of 
vthe flesh. Pray tgdce notice of this. And try, 
whether you have not this evidence of your adop- 
tion, that you desire the Father's will, and, not 
yours may be done. 

I am labouring at Brighthelmstone amoQg a 
sweet people, with whom I am exceedingly vhap- 
py. The work of de%r Jesus prospers among us. 
His person grows more beloved. His work more 
precious. Fellowship with him more close and 
intimate, and ther^pre more li^py. Our hearts 
warmed with his love, are warm with brotherly 
love, stirring up one another to press forward for 
the prize of our high calling, that is, to .^in 
Chris^ and to be found in him, at the hour of 
death, and at the day of judgment. May the 



LETTER'S.' 63 



same Lord Christ grow dearer to you and yours . 

every day. 

I am always boiind to pray for your welfare, 

being by many tics yours, 

W. R» 



LETTER XVIU 



A, 



.Lh spiriCQal Ue^ngs be on my deaf friend f 
wbafi^vor the tender heart, or the almighty arm 
of the loving }esD3 has to 'bestow, may it be all 
•yours! You made me promise to inform you of 
my motions, which 1 now ftlfiU 
• Crod willing I shall be next SiKiday at Mr. 
Cf-^'s^ on Monday nxMiung inY— ; Frqm 
thence I shall make thie best of my way tg T-r-*-, 
and if I hear nothing c^you there, I shall proceed 
to A«-**^^« My time is short;, $0 that I c^ii but 
just stay to take my leave of my friends. iWbat a 
life is this^l hurry, hurry, hurry, from place to 
place, from this object to that ;n^weary wi(b $eek- 
in&but never finduig rest^^i-^Happy christian who 



64 ,K0MAIN1E'S" 

is fixed to a point! — Go where he will, ONE'otiJ 
ject is his all. The crucified Saviour is his hap; 
piness; his perfect, everlasting happiness* and this 
Heaven iie carries about with him. No time, no 
place, no circumstances, iflake any change. He 
has one Lord, one -faith, the same yesterday, to- 
day and for ever. Come pain, sickness, poverty, 
death, the Saviour's love and power bear him up* 
Come temptations of all kinds, Iwill be with thee 
in the hour of temptation, says the Lord God. 
Where he is, nothing need be feared,, because no- 
thing can hurt. Oh my friend, the triw know- 
Fedgeof Jesus Christ, is an infallible cure fore all 
the miseries which come into the world by sia. 
There is no evil of mind or body, temporal or 
eternal,' but our precious dear Lord is by ofiice 
engaged' to remove it. And shall' not you and I 
value and love him? What can we set our hearts 
upon; what can bid so high for them, as this 
adorable Saviour? may he enable us to give them 
to Him, and then he wiU sanctify all then- inferior 
loves; will let us love them, asflowingrfrom his 
, grace; so that this love will make us love biin 
morer This love is Heaven. Ail joy. and glory 
is in it. And Jis-Cor the happiticss of his redeemed 
people, we shall never know how great it is tHl. 



■•*. 






k 

^ 



LETTERS. 65 

vft join the cburch ^bove. It wHl be a (^orious 
jaeetiog* Jesus; bless you! Amen! Amen. la^i 
for his 9^kej your fsuthful friend, 

W. R. 



LETTER XVin. 



November 25, 1765. 



anr DSAR 7Rn»n>i 



I 



HAVB much to tell- y e u t.. o f that ever dear 
and predcus Liover— ^our best friend -and mme. 
I bad a toloeB of bis goodness in ysour last, for 
ivfaidi Ldiatik Lady M-^t> but above dil> her Lord 
and mine. I have a tail torrelate of his free and 
kind heart, which viSll last longer than this world. 
ItbreaUy heaven to be relating it "-and I cannot 
liold my tongoe. He< makes himself so lovely, by 
C(«ttinual favoun, that my iicartis quite vron; 
and, by«his sweet constraint, is fioto &ced upon 
Mm. I vmdd turn to other lovsas> but sweet 

G 2 



r" 



66 ROMAINE'S 

Jesus will not let iiie. O, the boundless ^gracc^of 
bis most amiable breast! Finite nature cannot 
telly (how should it?) his infinite 4bve« But as wc 
get emptied of s£Lf^ we know and experience 
more of his love. This I wish you, and my very- 
dear Miss — -— , growth in grace, that is self-abasc* 
ment, and growth in the knowledge of God our 
Saviour-i-may he ewpty you of S£Lf, and fill you 
with more of his good things. -We have very 
much of his presence and glory in our assemblies 
this winter, more than ever. His workfevivcs- 
amongst us : and coldand frosty as the weather is,, 
pur hearts bum within us*> Last night St. Dun« 
stands was a very Bethel v it . was lil^ the dedica*- 
tion of thcTtmple, when the glory of Jehovah 
came down and filled' the house. I^was pleach- 
ing on these word s M y meditadon of him shaU 
be svjeeU""'^^ And so it was indeed. When Lwas 
seating forth his undertakings, his suitableness to 
fulfil them, as God*maa~ Ills actual folfiUing.of 
them, his poyver to apply and to make them cflSx- 
tual, how he does this by his. word preached, .in 
the hand df the Spirit made the means of working 
faith in the heart,, and of producing the fruits of 
faich in fellowship with Jesus and his fulness, . by 
which Jesus grows sweeter and sweeter, and > so 
brings us to the end of our meditation;, the sw^ol^ 



\ 



4 



I 



LETTERS. 



e«t of ail, even of divine sweets, the enjoyment of 
Jesus in his kingdom of glory. Ol what a seal 
did he set to this preadied gospel. He made it 
the power of God. The meditation of his good- 
ne^ yesterday, has stitl a relish and delightful sa* 
vorf to-day it is sweet, very, very sweet indeed. 
Fray, mind, I do not make this my salvation- 
No, but these sweet streams lead me to the foun- 
tain-— I do not rest in them, but if these be so^ 
sweet, what must the fountain be? If tittle faith 
finds Jesus so precious, what must precious Jesus- 
be> when faith jieli^ to sight and sense? My: 
dear, dear friend, prize this pearl ;. it is inestima- 
bfe. Two things I would beg your notice of. I- 
know you have received him. The 

First is, press for m<»:e knowledge— read, pray^ 
hear, to be made more teachaUe and humble, 
that Jesus may have the glory of such discoveries 
as he makes of his persc»i and of his work. And 
do not stop ; press on,-as long as you live ; sit 
very low, very low, at CSirist's feet, to hear his 
• words; The 

Second is, make use of bis fulness, you are wel- 

~ come, you cannot use it too much. Hence comes 

sweet fellowship, and by it all things will do you 

good. Carry them to that best friend, pour them 

into bJa loving, bgsom* He dcli^^ts in familianty ^ 



M ROMAINE'S 

Ton have been ill, diat b the best for you; live 
hj faith, and Jesus vnA make it pbisx to you* 
Yours^ in iliat inconiparable Lover, 

W.R. 



I.ETTER XIX. 



LiiUMTs, Jm* 16, 1766^ 



UT DSAR fKlEvp, 



I 



H^VB seyerdl reasons for writiiig lo yoir at 
tMs time. The first is, that ever so long ago:! 
wrote you an huge scrtbUe. To which havisg 
^ xseceived BO answer, .Inhooght it. v^ tugtitime I 
should^ get a Ittde out of your debt, and pay> off 
some of my old score with these sci^ps of paper. 
1 hope you: will taibe them aecQirding to the Ame- 
ncan phrase,. (or paper cutrtncp Butever^ Jbt* 
ter toaccount> and having^rated diem just what 
.you please, make me creditor for k* 

3% secoa^ reami for witing is, to enijuirc af- 



LETTERS.' 6^ 

fer you. How can I help being concerned for 
rRose whom I love, especially in die Lord ? Such 
fi-iends I have at —— . It wouM be a real plea- 
sure to me, and a profit to yourself; if I knew 
what to ask for you, when I go to Court. How 
Is your bodily health? I know you arc generally 
weak and low, and I'' know it is good for y0U| 
yea the beist of all for you. The physician, who 
never mistook a case, prescribes to a tender con- 
stitution. His prescription is perfect. love. He 
could not bring about his gracious designs any 
other way: he wants tcr wean you from a life of 
sense, therefore, iiri infinite-mercy he takes away 
sendble enjoyments. He wx>uld have yoir-to go 
on fi-om faith to faith; but how- could faith grow 
so fast, as by-keeping you-from those things which 
are its very 1>ane-and destroctionv He is biinging 
joix to more fdlowsbip with him, than you have 
had, therefore, you must have fcss fellowship with 
the world. Fewer out ward comforts will cer- 
tainly make you experience more spiritual com- 
forts. Tliis is our Physician's fixed^ practice — he 
never varies from it, not in one instance; mind^ 
one of his favourite patients, thy rod, and thy 
STAFF COMFORT M£ : the afflicting rod could not 
comfort, pain could not be pleasure, no chastes- 
irtg can be,, in itself, joyous: but the staft the 



76 ROMAI^E'S 

bang supported under the rod, and the feeling of 
thatsuppert; he found faith and patience bear 
him up under the rod^ \vhich brought him to 
stich close communion with his gracious Saviour, 
that he was comforted under the cross. This is 

» 

also the experience of one highly favoured, as you 
may read, Rom. v. 3> 4, 5. Let me l^now then^ - 
how your soul prospereth under Jesus^s care. 

I have also a third reason for writing, which- 
18 to wish you a happy new year, the happiest of 
all you ever saw, and therefore I wish you morci 
still more enjoyment of our infinitely rich, ever- 
lasting precious Jesus. You will live to a blessed 
l^rpose, if every day of this new year, you get 
more put of self, and live more in and on Jesus. 
We have had a most remarkable time this Christ- 
mas of his grace and lave. I have scarce an 
acquaintance, who has not been favoured with 
bkssed visits from him. O, how great is his 
goodness 1 how great is his beautyr!. Incompara- 
ble both! May your dear heart, my friend, feel 
what I did at the Lock on innocent's day, when 
I was preadiing on these words of Fs. Ixxicvii. 
JU fny springs are in thee. I gave them first a 
trandation of the psalm,' then a paraphrase, then 
appUcation ';« substance of the two first I send you^ 
Ibe psahu^Uterally rendered runs thus. Title is^ 



t 



^ Tor the sons of miseraUe mao^ a psalm to be 

Ver. I. He is to* be established in the moun- 

\ tains of bis holy one.*-^Mind, how sweetly xht 

holy Spirit begins : he mentions not who this He 

<^.tbat was to be established is, for aU who are un« 

^^cr his tcaching:^now. 

^. Jehovah loveth the gates of Zton 4nore thaH 
an the dwellings of Jacob: , 

.3« Weighty things are spoken of thee, thou 

.city of Alebim. Selab ^end to thi8.-«»*What 

this bvcvin v. 2 wasfor, what these weighty things 

in V. 3 were, the next words shev^ where God the 

/Father is introduced speaking* 

4. I will cause it be remembered by them who 
know me in Rahab and Babylon, behold Philistia, 
and Tyre, the people of Ethiopia-^HERE wa» 
jHE NAME 30RVr^born in Zion, to be the Sa- 
viour of Rahab^ and Babylon, Phiiistia, and Tyre, 
and Ethiopia, even, as many as the Lord our God 
shall call in.these countries. 

David speaking by the holy Ghost, adds in verse 

5. And of !Qqii it shall be said, a person and a 
person j(God and man) shall be born in her, and 
he himself the most high shall perfectly establish 
her. (Namely the church founded upon the in- 



f 



r 



->2 HOUklNE'S 

caniate God^ against which he says htinself^ ttic 
gates of hell shall not prevail.) 
.. 6, Jehovah shall record it, when he is describ- 
ing the people, tha^t here was the name 
BORN ; that divine name in which alone their is 
salvatioo, and ..from .wluch.all true joy, botli in 
lieaven and earth, ariseth, a& the. saiots .sung in the 
Old, Testament, .as the angek sung at his birth, 
- and ^ the redeemed of the Lord will sing for ever. 
.7. And the singers, as well as the .players on in- 
-struments shall siay, all my. springs are- in 
THEE, (all, all the springs of grace, of glory, 
all arise irom. Jehovah manifest in. the flesh.) O 
: that such a spring as we had at xhe ppening of 
^hese words may .flow into and refresh your heart 
^quite through. the wilderness; till you come to 
the fountain-head, may youstilKdrink of the water 
which, flows through the rock Christ, till you drink 
of that, which flows from the.throncoftheLamb. 
;And so itJivill be: the Rock will follow you, and 
you will have the comfort of it, if you keep in 
.mind that little word jn, all my springs are in thee, 
.not only from thee, through thee, (which is true) 
but IN thee. If faith fix here, all will be well, 
.for if at any time the stream fail, then you may 
go pp to the fountain-head, making up your hajv 
jnness in Jesus, get you whatever it b^, little or 



1 



LETTERS. 73 

nittch^ ifl present comfort out of his fulness. Yet 
stlU he^ and all he is and has, is ;oiirs« 

My paper grows short, and my fingers are so 
cold, I can scarcely write ; yet 1 have a fourth rea- 
son for writing-^-upoQ Mr. Alexander Cole's dcatbv 
I wrote to Ncvfcastle for his papers, especially 
for a book in manuscriifty after the manner of the 
Pilgrim's Progress. My brother sent me word^ 
his daughter at «— — had been over, and carried 
away all her father's papers. I wish you cpuld 
get this book and read it, and Bend me your opin«> 
ion of it. ■ perhaps could help you, to 

whom my kind love. 

One thing more, and I have done. Yesterday 
I dined with Mr. Berridge. He was making 
great complaint of his debts, contracted by bis 
keeping, out of his owp living, two preachers and 
their horses, and several local preachers, and for 
the rents of several barus in which they preach. 
He sees it was wrong to run in debt, and will be 
more careful. But it is done. My application is 
to **-*-i. Will yoB stand my friend with her, and 
tell her Bcrridge's case. If she please to assist 
him, I should he glad to convey her charity to 
him. You will be the judge, whether this be pro- 
per or not to mention to her. I beg my kind 
love to ber^ Nothing is yet doixr at Blackfriars : 

H 



94 ROMAINE'S 

but Jesus docs all things well; he times all things 
for the best; I am sure of it; therefore, I wait my 
Iiord's time, and blessed waiting it is* May be 
Uess you and yours in body and soul, and that for 
ever and ever : so praj^ 



^ W- R** 



LETTER XX- 



Lambjjth, Feb. 4, 1766. 

.lAtL the blessings of Jesus^s love be with 
dear— -^. I was not in a hurry to answer your 
letter, because Mr. Berridge promised to make 
his acknowledgments to ———--; and because the 
time was at hand, when my Lord Chancellor de- 

, clared he would end the affair of Blackfriars. 

"Tou have heard of the event. My friends are re- 
joicing all around me, and wishing ^nie that joy 
which I cannot take. It is my Master's will, and 
I submit. He knows what is best, both for his 
owjD glory, and his peoples' good. Audi am cer^ 



/ 



LETTERS. 75 

tflon be makes no mistake in either of these points. 
Bat my head hangs down upon the occasion, 
through the awful apprehensions, which I ever 
had of the cure 6f souls. I am frightened to think 
of watching over two or three thousand, when it 
is work enough to watch over one. The plague 
of my 'own heart almost wearies me to death ; 
what can I do with such a vast number? Besides, 
I had promised myself a litde rest and retirement, 
in the evenings, of life, and had already sat down 
widia SOUL, TAKE THINE EASE. And^ lo! my 
fine plan is broken all to pieces. I am called into 
a public station, and to the sharpest engagement, 
just as I had got into, winter quarters— -an engage* 
ment too for life. I can see nothing before me, 
so long as the breath is in my body, but war— -and 
thtit with unreasonable men — a divided parish, an 
angry clergy, a wicked Sodom, and a wicked 
w6rld; all to be resisted and overcokne : Besides 
all these, a sworn enemy,* subtle and cruel, with 
whom I can make no peace, no,- not a moment's 
triice,^ nightr and day, with all his chiklrcit,-and 
I»s host, i» aiming at my destruction. When I 
take counsel t)f the flesh, I begin to faint. But 
when I go to the sanctuary, I see my cause good, 
and my Master is Almighty-*-a tried friend, and 
then be makes my courage revive. Although I 



76 ROMAINE^S 

am no way fit for the work^ yet he called tiic to it, 
and on him I depend for length to do k, and 
for success t^ cfown it. I utterly despare of do- 
ing any thing as of myself, and, therefore, tfie 
more I have to do, I shall be forced to live more 
by faith upon him. In this view I hope to get a 
great income by my li vinq. I shall want my 
Jesus more, and shall get closer to him. As he 
has made my application to htm more necessary, 
and more constant, he has given me stronger 
tokens of his love. Methinks I can hear his ^vcct 
voice,— " Come closer, come closer, soul! nearer 
<^yet; I will bring you into circumstances, tfiat 
*^you cannot do one moment without me.** Q 
that you could always hear that voice, it would 
be year heaven ! And indeed it is his language—^ 
nothing but love is on his tongue; but the noise 
of the flesh sometimes drowns his small still voice. 
—Comfort would flow into your heart, like a 
river, if the ears of faith were but open to attend 
to the endearments of Jesus, **Soul, thou shalt 
*' not live at a distance from iile; I bought thee 
"with a great frkc, thoa art mine. When I af^ 
**flict, it is to bring thee nearer to myself; to 
"make thee glad in me; to bring thy heart to 
"me. Thou shak not make up thy comforts in 
"the streams; come, come up nearer, nearer stiH 



LETTERS. 77 

•to the fountain-head. To make thee, to force 
"thee to live happy in my fulness, I will dry up 
'^che streams, and so will I teach thee to make 
'* aie ALL in all.'* The infinitely lovely Lamb 
of Cod teach you this lesson! All his word 
preaches it, all his providences proclaim it. Eve- 
ry cross says-— Go to Jesus, Uve near his bleeding 
heart,. or else I shall break the back of your pa- 
tience. Every dilEcuUy says, Co to Jesus^ and he 
will make you strong in the power of his might to 
overcome. The world, and all the things in it, 
say, and the beKever has ears to hear, Co to Jesus, 
there is no good in us-— it is all in him. Whatever 
comes, I go to Jf sus with it, and all is well. His 
smiles are humbling, his rod is sanctifying, ir^ all 
bis dealingSthe is good, and doeth good. 

I knowithese things as well in theory, as I see 
iJjc words upon the paper. But to practise them 
is indeed bard, except in bis strength, to wbcdii all 
things are possible ; in it, and by it, all the things 
we meet with will not only bring us to live more 
upon Christ, but will also bring us to live more to 
Christ. By doing the o^e, we do. the other. He 
that makes him dl, shews forth most of his pr^se. 
What can glorify Christ,, like that believer, who 
attempts nothing without consulting him, under* 

Ha 



78 ROMAINE'S 

» 

takes no work or duty but in his strength, rejoices 
in nothing but in Jesus, and in hts salvation. O 
that you may leam, my dear friend, thus to exalt 
King Jesus! I would have you to be ever bring- 
ing some honour to him^by making him yoUr ali. 
indeed and in truth. Prause his fttae^ by living 
always upon it, and then be will make you always 
happy. Let him be all your salvation, and alt 
your deafe — all your salvation, as to the merit of 
it ; all your desire, as to the icfBcacy of it ; aH youf 
salvation in purchase ; all your desire in enjoyment 
So he is^in heaven; O- that we could make fahn ik^ 
upon earth I 

I have one favour to beg of you* Do not re- 
fuse me. You see my station^ou hcfar my difH^ 
cqlties. Will you reme m ber me to hitn, who caill-^ 
edthe things tteit be not, as though they were. 
He can send to war at his cost, and for his gloryi 
If you love me, make mention of me -^/hfen you 
go to Court. Fray for usefulness and for humility. 
I cease not to mention you. 

I have received Lady B— *s money, and' have- 
been much in gaols c^ late. I am* confined to 
church people ; and when I see a' prisoner, a dis^ 
scntcr, with a wife and several children, and'ca^- 
not relieve bim, it makes my very heart ach. S4 



LETTERS: 79 

t thought your gift was frooi heaven. I have 
made one family happy^ add shall' make others, 
und by and by will send you the particulars. 

vr. R. 



LETTER XXr. 



July 22, 17^- 



MY VERT DEAR FRIEKD, 

X AM wisbhig (or your prosperity in body smd 
soul, but above all that ypur soul may prosper: 
and it is in the most thriving state, when you arc 
lowest and vilest is your own eyes, and Jesus alone 
is eyed and esteemed. This k grdwtfi. As self 
is kept down, so Jesus h exalted. Oh, what 
views have I of this manner of growing in grace f 
Let me talk to you freely of it at our ndtt mect- 
mg, as I have learhedit not from books, but from 
God's word, and God's teaching. 

1 am Icartilng, thdljgh dull, how to eye Urn m 



8o ROMAINE'S 

all things : as it is my privilege^ so I find it my 
happiness; but^ alasi alas! I am a miserable 
learner. However, I set out afresh, and resolve, 
not to give over jdming^ at my lesson* . Db ever so 
well, I would do better ; for I see in him worlds 
of be^ity. and glory, which will take up a long 
eternity to study, and, what is best of all, to enjoy. 
To my dear, dearest Jesus, I commend. you and 
all yours. I am, very sincerely, yours, in otir 

comqion Lordy 

W. Rv 



LETTER XXII. 



Lambeth, Sept. 30, 1766. ^ 



H7 DEAR FRIEKD, 



I 



HAVE been carding, here and there, the 
sweet savour of Jesiis^s dear name, ever since I left 
you. I was in Sussex for a month, and have, 
heard^ .since py return, a better account c^ ypuc 



LETTERS. 8i 

heakhy for which I am thaolful. The Lord hav- 
ing appointed you- /or hk heavenly kingdom^ has 
also appointed all the steps which are to lead you 
tUther. Every pain is in the covenant. Tour 
ccHifinement, your nuscarriages, your faintings, 
your disappointments, not one tiling that thwarts 
your will, but it is in God^s will. Nothing can 
beiul you, but what is ordered contrived for you 
by wisdom^ brought upon you by love. O fofr 
tyes to see, for a heart to receive, all God's deal- 
ings ^th you* in this covenant view; How isweec 
worid be your many trial% if you ^ndtfaem aix 
appointed a&d^ managed for you by the best of 
fiiends. I.eam to reiceive them^ tfatts% 

I am going to Ifotb, and hope for a Ikde lefeure 
there to wrke to you a long letter. My subject 
is ready. After you raoeive it^ I shaB be glad to 
hear how your sentiments and mine agree. Pray 
remcnAer me with many thanks to -•— •« I am 
in debt more tlian I can acknowledge. Afy best 
respects to her. Pray for a poor worm. 



\r 



r 



8* BLOMAlNil^ 



tETTER XXnj. 



Lahbetb, Nov. 15, 1^6^. 



I 



AKc indebted much to my dear friend, but 
amoog other things I owe you a note of hand, 
which I am now ready to pay. I wanted to talk 
with you at ' ■ upon the temper ^d dispod-' 
tion.ofa true believer; but being prevented there, 
I promised to send you my thoughts upon this sub- 
ject, which I- am the more ready. to do, to-^ay^ be- 
cause the reason of my malang. the promise not 
pnly stiU subsists^ but is also increasing^ A tetn- 
per, direcdyr c<Mitrary to the Qiristian; is spread* 
ing among {Hrofessors.- I-- see the delusi^i grow« 
and i am. a witness to the baneful effects of it* 
}iow many, have you and t beard of, -who want to 
be something in themselves, and rather than not 
be so, will be beholden to Christ ta set them up 
with a stock of grace ? They would gladly re* 
eeive a talent from him, that, by being faithful to 
grace given, and trading well with it> they may 
look> with delight, on their improvements, and 
thereby hope to get more grac^ and more glory; 



LETTERS. «3 

This IS the Popish plan, the Arminian, the Baxte- 
rian, the Wcstlean-^vcry flattering to naturei ex- 
ceedingly pleasing to self-righteousness, very ex- 
alringy yea, it is crowning frbxT will, and de- 
basing King Jesus. I would be more jealous than 
I am, over yx>u in this matter, if I bad not seen 
how the Lord teaches you, and warns you of this 
rock. Your frequent ihdispoddons are his sweet 
^-lessons, by which he would bring you to the true 
gospel frame of spirit, which is this-^It is the pro- 
per work of the grace rf Jesus, to humble the 
proud sinner, to make Mm, and to keep him, sens- 
ible of his want?, convinced, always, that he has 
not any good of hie. own, and cannot possibly of 
himself obtain any, cither in earth or heaven; but 
what he must be recdving, every moment, out of 
the fubcss of Jesus. 

The devil fell* by pride, ^andhc drew man into 
the same crime. He.promised'him independence, 
and he still persuades deceived man to set up for 
himscjf. That is the sdiemc of all uoawakencd 
men— they arc resolved to be happy in spite of 
God. The Spirit of Jesus is sent to bumble this 
proud sinner, which he docs, by giving him a 
view of God's holy nature, and God's holy law- 
This makes sin, and couscquently the sinner, hate- 
ful, discovers his guilt and his danger: if he ajc^ 



«4 KOMAINE'^ 

tempt to do any tibing to make God love him^ the 
holy Spkit bumUes bnn for that very thing, by 
shewing him the sinfulness of his motive, : and the 
loiper&ctionof the actbn. Whatever be seeks to 
rest in^ the ^xirit of Jesus detects the fake foun- 
datioOt tiQ he leaves him no resource, but to be* 
Itcve in the only begotten Saa of God. So that 
when he connes to Jesus, he is stripped of all, 
quite nafced and Uind, moneyless and friendless 

*- empty of good as the devil and nvi could make 
him. Tlu$ is all the fitness and preparation for 
Christ, which I know ^oft And when Christ is 
Ibus received, die same Spirit which would let 

^tum, the sinner, *bring nothing to Christ, will nfiw 
miake him bring all from Christ, and so keep 
him sensible of his wants. He wUl teach the be- 
liever more daily of his poverty^ weakness, un- 
worthtn^ss, vileness, ignorance, &c. that he may 
be kept humble, without any good but what he is 
forced to fietch out of the fulness of Jesus, And 
when he would go any where else for comfort, to 
dudes, frames, gifb, and graces — (for pride will 
live, and thrive too, upon any thing, but Jesus) — 
Ills Spirit make&them dry and lean, and wont let 
him stop short of the fountain-head of all true 
comfort. In short, he will glorify nothing but 
Jesus. He will stam the pride of all greatness, 



s^.of a,U goodofa;, ctteptiag wbat is derived 
froQi ^be.4iilA«s» of die tpcamatic Cod. 

jl iktifm oms viUi Haxned this ^ery 3lo\v]y» but 
ttt»..||0d mttch pflim talLCD with Urn-; and^ to 
make ^b«( I bmc bern seeing sii9re. plain; 1 
would iiliMral^iit • by Ju$ cypciience. He was a 
i«i7i, JlPfy vain, pcoud ^loung *inaii.; kucw al- 
mos^'^'i^nf ^mgk^hiw^r audi .therefore, was 
«itg¥y fpQd c^ iidm$elf. He met wHb many 
disappoiQimencs - to bis. fii^ide, vbicb only made 
him {>¥oader^ tillthe Lond was .pleased to let liim 
i|ee.$kod.fj?elthe.plagi]e^of his 0311^ heart. At tbn 
tijoae ,nij jaoiuaiaunce with bka be^n.' He tr]cd 
f yery ipei^od, tbl^ ^ean be ,trkd» to get pea(ce, but 
found none« In his de^p^h* of. .ail dtiqgs ebe, he 
betook hip>seif:to Je^^i iind w9s>mo$t kiDdlj re^ 
ceived. He trusted the -word of promuse, and ex- 
perienced the sweetness in the '^protnise. .-After 
this b^ jwei^ through j^arious frames ^u^dtrials of 
faith, too moay to m^tipn, and he is now got, 
wb«are,niay Mrs,—, your dear sister, get, and at 
far beyond as sh^caa:- — 

First, he h4S been brought to a dear conviction, 
that, aU futmss of good uin Jesus^ as d^ar, as 
that all the sap in the branch is from the stock on 
which it grows, as that all the nourishment in the 
^oiember is from the body. What has the br^uth 

I 



86 ROMAINE'S 

or the metnbier, cKccpc what tbey meavc > Now 
tbis cominual recdving^om ifcsus, every tbitfgf 
sayings -^^ JTou must go to him, you most go to 
him,'' 18 a most bumUbsg lesson. And my frkod 
says, it is nottdng but this which crucifies Us pridr. 
He has been attempting, for many years, to se 
something, to do something of biti»clf,<but cduht 
not succeed : disap{x^ed again and agi&i, yet 
he would Qot give it up,-dH God made him fed in 
him, that is, in his flesh, dwelled no g&od thing; and 
now he writes fcrfly, weakness, «in, on aU that is his 
own ^ not-only dearly convince^], that all fiilness of 
good is in Jesus,iM]t is also, in the second place, con^ 
ieni k shoQU be in^Um. It pleased the Father, that m 
him should all fiilness dwtelL It pleases the boly 
l!^Hrit to tesdfy of Ifiifulness, and to glorify noth- 
ing but it : and by his teaching it, pleases the be^ 
liever. He is made quite satisfied, that- aJI fulness 
should dwell 4a that dear <Gad-man>: Content to 
have nothing hut what he must go to him for « 
yea, happy to go to Jesus for those very things, 
of wMch he himself is empty, and which he can* 
not have any where else. My friend's heart 
glows, and his very countenance brightens up, and 
one catches fire at his words, when he is talking 
upon this subject. ,^* O, says he, that you did but 
<« know what I experience in living upon the fnt 



LETTERS. »y 

^' nets of Jeitt&-/jod'8 ivill and niine are cue in 
'^ this matter— -tius subjection to bis will is heaven 
^regmned\ so I find it. I rest perfectly on the 
^f^ness, and I enjoy most sweetly, what God has 
^Isud up in it for my use. My conscience has a 
'^ peace tbat passeth aU undorstanding, through 
<f fekh in the blood of the Lamb. I see myself ia 
'^ himr perfectly accepted^ p^fectly justified, per« 
*^ feedy comely in Us comeliness, perfectly happy 
'^in hU love^-'alt the deares of the sold sads^^ 
^^with Jesu^s person, imd Jesos's work, lliis, 
^' this is the d)Mh of pride. Here &ee^yi, self-*' 
** righteousness^ a legal s{»rit cannot work. The 
'^ apkit and power of Jesus, in this his glory, make 
^ them bide their heads.? 

This is fiving like a Gbrisdan« It is a life, in* 
one respect only, below an angels; and yet, great 
and blessed as it is^ I hate heard my friend caiHc, 
in a very unconunoo strain, upcm a state even be- 
yond this, which lie c9iXi& heaven enjoyed % and 
that is 

Thirdly, be is thmkful^'^lJdAt all fulness dwells 
ia J^ns— not only is ccmvinced of it^ and content 
wi^ it, but also blesses 6od for its being in Jesus. 
This is aU they do in the highest lieaven, and he 
has most of heaven, who does this most like them. 
My friend describes his meaning thus : I live out 



«<of in^f-^r bay6 nocbingi I am ndthi^g, Iwt 
"folly and ski-^jcwls isiinjr lift> iirhim'fal the M- 
** ness Df its bti^^ and of-ks" cotnfbm : vrliattever 
^ I %vmt> ' I find it in him; I Mp^MHee, day by 
<< day^ the kifidne^s of bb heart, and tht b<Himy of 
'^bkband. JUessbigd oii him^ my heart enjo;^^; 
** v*at' no tongue can d^ilbeV Wli^tev^ I go 
** to him fof, : he ahray^ sendf ind avay - with- iMt- 
^ ler of thanieftilness. Cdostai^t ft^lo^ii^p ^U 
<^ h!)n; etidearstb tae* hir p^rsoii nksre and* laAdrel 
<< CotnnfiunkHl with Mm^ kl hU olSSle^, liiakeis KM 
<^ infinitely tev'e^ PartaldAg of fai^ &Mr9Mnsk^ 
«ldve, mafkes^ir everlastingly precious; And^liHr^* 
** bg upon the fuiness ot these,- is the fbIne!§'of 
•* joy. Glory, glory be to 6od-> Jesus &r ever a(fttf 
<< everi HeaVitn and Eattb say M^ my heart. 

Thus does my friend illusti^tti the^ defini^dii 
whicll I give yob 6f th6 true 'gbspctfraiiie of sjfr 
rin Ihope v>e jftall live td talk of it> andiivc'to 
enjoy it more. Nothing else is worth living for* 
All means of grace are only usefut, as they help 
us to live thus^ All providences, sicknesses, lo^es, 
successes are only so far blessSigs, as they lead us 
more out of ourselves into the fulness of Jesus. 
My dear Mrs. -— , I can write to-day upon no- 
thing else. I- hope I write seasonably. When 



"k 



LETTERS. 89 

you open this letter, you will want this le^on. I 
am sure you will, and God Mess it to you; I foU 
low it with my prayers, and I can do no more i 
but our common Lord will hear, I know he will ; 
and will accompany my poor words with his pre- 
sence. To the care of his dear, loving heart, I 
commend you and yours. Wonder not I have not 
written before ; I have been in a more preaching 
way thb summer, than I ever was in my life, and 
travetted much more, and have bad with me a 
sweet savour of Jesus's dear name. O tie is pre- 
cious to my s^ul, how much, even now, I sliall 
want time in eternity to tell. So precious that 
I iiiink I have not Icmg to be here, or else the 
matchless lover will make this earth a very hea- 
ven. But 1 say, I, the vilest worm that evet; 
crawled or escaped hell, not to set me up, but 
him, the highly exalted, worthy. Saviour. Againi 
to him I commend you. Youn truly in lilm. 

W. R. 



I.a^ 



90 KOMAlNE'S^ 



E.E,TTER XXIV. 



tiAMBETH, Jan. 24, 1767! 



Ur TCRY DEAR FRIENDy 



I 



HAVE waited titl I am quite wearied biir.. 
M^ny a look and prayer have I sent '""" '^ ard,. 
but all in vain. No tiding$ could I get, till Kfr. 
, told'^ine of your state. And, on his in* 
fortnation, I am encouraged to enquire after ybU 
and yours, and after a very I(^g lettet, which I 
wrote Upon my comihg home from BatH. Pray 
give me some accbunt, for indeed I long to know 
about these matters. Thfe letter was upon a sub- 
ject that I scarcely ever mentioned, before, to any 
body, it was my own experience;.. And I would 
not have it lost for a great deal. I have been 
trying it by scripture, andj could give you infal- 
lible proofs of its being agreeable to the word of 
God. And perhaps ^nay, when I bear from you 
next. It will be some satisfaction to me, (as I 
never take copies of any thing,) to read my own 
history at — — . Before that time I may. have 



LETTEltS. pi 

got a Kttle l6W€rf awd ha(v6*dhihk dccpcf iftto the 
knowledge of JfcsiTs. That seems fo be the end 
of Hv&igy t& have self abased, and Jc^us exalted, 
and these t\Vd afe- iriscpafahle. As self sirilrf in 
cstefcm, Jtsixs rises. WHeri self is iiothiri^ but SiTy 
then* Jesus IS a glotified Saviour. When self is 
riothiugblit misery, then Jesus is all heairfcii. I 
havb befell led to take particular notice of ibis, 
latily^ frdfti these views: 

Firsts the petson of JestiS ; he titras Jehbvtih. 
AS'tiie glofi^ of the Godhead Was ih the inaW Je- 
sus; Aiid' what ^^s his apipedtattce? me^tf, td 
the test degtce. A wortil, and no man ; thfe very 
scotn of men, and the outcast of the people^ 
What was his form? si servatit, a poor servant* 
What were his tempers f meek and lowly, ye^^ 
meekness and lowliness itself: a perfect drigihal, 
of whom all his disciptes^ may learn to be medk 
and lowly. His^ way to glbry was humility, s6 is 
burs. His glory indeed was bis humility, sd U 
ours. He that humblcth himself shall be c«ilted, 
was true of the head,, as well as of the liiembets;- 
thiat you latid I maybe in this cbriformed to hlrtl l 
because herein : ' 

Secondly^ our fellov^hip li^ith hiitl consists^ 
^Whatever i maii sees in hiitiself, gredt or gobdjj, 
baliabs^ate lutidcrattcc b the enjoyhicnt of Jii- 



92 ROMAINE'S 

sus. Whatever he sees v3e and wicked ; therein 
(if he have faich^) he will enjoy the Saviour. 
The more hesees^ the more enjoyment: £6r diat 
which, humbles the sinner, brings him nearer to 
the Saviour. The humblest sinner is . capable <£ 
the closest communion, and is thereby fitted, for 
the largest communications of Jesus's love. The 
emptiest hold, tho most, . and the emptiest receive 
the most. O for daily emptying.. This self,, this 
fuU. self; what reasonings,, what legality, what 
self-righteousness has it, and all to keep us frota 
being filled with the fulness of Qirist;, tbi^-is your 
grand enemy, that id&l self. ' The Lord crucify 
it b^his own Almighty grace! and to induce you 
to, apply, to him for this power, I would recom-^ 
mend it to you. 

Thirdly, in reading the bible^ take notice of 
the persons to whom the promises are. made. 
Their character is always one, and the same! the 
poor in spirit; the contrite and broken in heart; 
the hungry, the thirsty, the meek and lowl/^ 
Tiakfi this general promise as an instance : God 
ffv^tb grace to the , humbk,^jaxid with grace he 
^ves all things. See how I get writing on>.^itIi- 
out intending it; I oQly^at down to enquire about 
ytou, and all our dear friends: Miss — n at tbt 
I)^ of them. Lq here is a long^ scroll started 



3/«Mf fi^kB^r vAth-thy hem^^pfQfjfM for tlieir \M^ 
fert. ^t: < ■> ... i r .- % i^es have^ tftttrftL for thcra* 
6^^ Jesol^r^'V^all tetilsdft'dd «6 ywv m his glot% 



LETTER) XXV. 



M 



March tty 17%. 



lAT DEAR FRJEKO; 



I 



wtfOhW not Bai^e Iidt yotk iong^id' Kidd 
epifstfe be so earcfe^y passed by, but tH&f I attt, gft 
presient^ left to myself without a curate.- Aff my 
time h t^tn up with paiiSt duty, a great d^l bf , 
it very usprofita^ spent. But I smcaSU&tb% 
and I must, and do stribotit I have ^sat- drnt^u,- alid 
I will wnte on, titt I am interrupted. And I be- 
gin wkfe telBng you how y6ur last tcfifcslied mel 






94 ROMATNE'S 

ft vras a leasooablc fwti for I was jn a sad'tak* 
iag about the account which I bad rait you of my« 
sclfi havhig n^ver found any freedom to do it to 
any body livingi before; and I feared either it 
^ould be lost, or faH inio any other person's hand. 
I am glad it is in yours* Now you know where- 
abouts I am, and what my present state is, it ipay 
be of some use to you to be informed, how I was 
brought unto it. God^ dealings with me have 
been wonderful^ not only for the royal sovereignty 
of his richest grace, but also for die manner of 
his teaching, on w^ich I cannot look back with- 
out adoring my meek and lowly prophet. He 
would have all the honour (and he well deserves 
it}of Working out, and also of applying his glo 
rious salvadon. When t was in trouble and soul- 
concern, he would not let me learn of man. I 
went every where to hear, but^no body was suf- 
fered to speak to my case.-^ The reason of this, 
I could sot tell £heo, but I know it now. 'The 
Arminian methodises flocked about me, and court- 
ed my acquaintance, which became a great snare 
unto mt. By- their mean^ I was: brought into a 
difficulty, which distressed me several years. '^ I 
<< was made to believe that part of my title to sal- 
^ vation was to be inherent — something called 
5' bdiness in myself, which the grace of God was 






LETTERS. ' ^5 

^to hikp me to. Ami I was to get k by vatcb- 
^ fulness, prayer^ -fysting, hearing, reading, sa- 
^craments, &c. so that after much and long at- 
** tendance in those means, 1 nMght be aUe to look 
^ inward, and be pleased with my own improve- 
^ment, finding I was grown b grace, a greet 
<' deal holier^ and more deserving of heaven than 
^ I bad beenJ^ 1 do not wonder now, that I re- 
ceived this d(Ktnne« Ic waa sweet food to a 
proud heart. 'I feasted on it, and to work I went. 
It was hard labour, and sad bondage ; but the 
hopes of having something to glory in of my own^ 
kept up my s|nritB. I went on, day after day, 
striving, agonizing ^as they called it) but still t 
found myself not a bit better. I thought this was 
the fauk, or that, which being amended, I should 
certainly succeed ; and, therefore, set out afresh, 
but still came to the same place. > No galley-slave 
worked harder, or to less purpose. Sometimes I 
was guite discouraged, and ready to give all up; 
but -the discovery of some supposed bindcranco 
%£X me to work again. Then I woUld redouUe 
my diligence, and exert all my strengtli. 'Stiil I 
got no ground. This made me* often wonder; 
and still more, when I found at last, that I was 
going backward. Methougbt I grew worse. I 
saw more An in ix^jsclfj instead of more holiness^ 



( 



Itot XSod wi«» ^«iw€niig it)e rfiiiaDgkfply^^ is 

.#iis way:.«sQ thattheiliacovseriesi of my rgmwtog 
worse wene ^eadfol .^g^nimitjs :i(g9iiit$t .iii)?9dff 
m^X mm ^ ithm»iitthi light woidd bitakiB 
andirii^tne ^ometbing of the^gbry jcf ^ Jesus> but 
yiDiW $i:glifiliisei0tiIy-^goiie in.a itiomcot. As I 
mw m&rj^ of my heart, .andi>egan to ibel. more 
pf my cormpt Qaniicey I got dearer - vienrs of. gpi^ 
pelTgraiGev and ui\pr^pOFtion as I<came to<kiiQW 
yiy^elf, I advanced m llie toowld^e of 'C3>in^ 
Jesus. iBut :tbis jy^as vet^ slow work; the old 
Jkvcn ctf .isett'rightewisness, new diristened fcofi*^ 
mss, stuck cliG£se to roc sriU, and toadc me a very 
dull scholar in the school of Christ. But 1 kept 
on, making a little progress, arad as I was. forced 
tP give up one tUng^ and.abot|ier, on which I had 
aonie ^ep^idancc^ I was left at last, stripped c^ 
all, and ndtber had, nor could see ivbere 1 could 
have ought to rest my hopes^ that 1 could call n^ 
own. This made way for blessed wiews of Jesus. 
Being now led to very deep discoveries oi my own 
legal heart, of the dishonour which I had put up^ 
on the Saviour, of the despite I had done to the 



LETTERS. pr 

I5)lrit of hi$ grace, by resisting and perverting the 
-workings of his love; these things humbled me. 
I became very vile in my own ^yes. I gave over 
^striving ; the pride of free-will, the boast of my 
-own works, were laid low. And as self was 
debased, the 6cri|»tures became an open book, and 
every page presented the Saviour in new glory. 
Then were explained to me these truths, which 
are now the very joy and life of my soul. Such as 

First—* the plan of salvation, contrived by the 
wisdom rf Jehovah Alehim, fuliSlled in the divine 
person and work of Jesus, and applied by the 
l^irit of Jesus. The whole was so ordered, from 
first to last, that all the glory of it might be secur- 
ed to the persons in Jehovah. The devil fell by 
pride, he tempted and ^ seduced man into pride ; 
therefore the Lord, to hide pride from man, has 
so contrived his salvation, that he who gloricth 
should have nothing to glory in b«t the Lord. 

Swcondly— The benefits of salvation are all, the 
free gifts of free grace, conferred without any re- 
gard to what the receiver of them is; nothing 
being looked at by tlie Giver, but his own sover- 
eign glory. Therefore the receivers are the un- 
godly, the worst of them, the unworthy, the chief 
of sinners ; such as are saved freely by grace 
through-faith, and that not of themselves it (name- 

K 



98 ROMAINE^S 

ly, salvadoii by faith) is the gift of God, not of 
works, lest any man should boast. 

TTiirdly— Whca 1 considered these benefits oiie, 
by one, kwas the very death of self-rightcousncss 
and sdf-coinplaccncy ; for when I looked at the 
empty hand, which faith ynts forth to receive 
them, whence was the hand emptied— whence 
came faith-i-whcncc the power to put forth the 
empty hand-— and whence the benefits received 
upon putting it forth i AH is of God ; he hum- 
bles us, that we may be willing to rcceivfc Christ ; 
he keeps us bumble, that we may be willing to 
live I^ faith upon Christ received, and as it is a 
great benefit to have this faith ; so it is. 

Fourthly— ra great, inestimably great benefit to 
Kve% fiaith : for this is a Itff , in every act of it^ 
dependent upon another. Self is renounced, so 
far as Christ is lived upon. And faith is the most 
emptying, pulling down grace ; most emptying, 
liecausc it says, and proves it too. In me, that 
is, in my flesh, diveUeth no good thing, and there- 
fore it will notiet a man see aoght good in himself, 
but pttlls down every high (thought, and lays it 
low in subjection to Jesus, ft is called the faith 
of tt)e Son of God, because he is the author and 
the finisher of it; he gives it; he gives to live by 
it I he gives the benefits received by it ; he gives. 



LETTERS. 99 

tlie glory laid up for it $ so that if I live to God^ 
andi in any act, have living communion with God, 
it is by nothing in myself, but wholly by the faith 
of the Son of God. When I wanted to do any 
thing commanded (what they call duties) I found, 
Fifthly—a continual matter of humiliation. I 
was forced to be dependent for the will and for the 
power, and, having done my best, I could not pre. 
sent it to God, but upon the golden altar, that 
sanctifieth the gifts; not the worthiness, nor 
the goodness of the ^S| but the sanctifying 
graee of the great high priest alone, can make 
them holy and acceptable. How low did this lay 
the pride of good works ^ since, after all, they 
were viler ibaa dung, unless perfunled with the 
sweet incense of Jesus's blood and righteousness. 
Here I learned to eye him, in all my works and 
duties, the alpha and omegia of them ; the life 
and spirit of all my prayers, and sermonV, and 
hearing, and reading, and ordinances; are all 
dead works, unless done in, and by the faith 
of the Son of God. Against this blessed truth, of 
which I am as certain as that I am alive, I find 
my nature kick. To this hour a legal heart will 
be creeping into duties, to get between me and 
my dear Jesus, whom I go to meet in them. But 
he soon recovers uxe from the temptation, makes 



J i J J J 



loo ROMAINE^S 

me loath myftff for it^ and g^s fresh glory to hk 
sovereign grace j and as all the great and good 
tbhigs^ever done in the \?orli}> were done by faitb, 
so ail the crosses^ ever endared vritb patknte, were 
from the same cai^y whi^h ia 

Sixthly-— -auotfaer hutBlding lesson. I find^ to 
this mofnenty so much unbelief and 40ii>atience in 
myselfj^ that i£ God was-ta leave me to be tried 
with any thing that crossed my wHtr if it was but 
a feather, it would break iiiy back. Nbtbihg 
tends to keep me vile in my own eyes, like thiis. 
frettiog^ and' muriHuring^ and heart-burnings when 
the will of Goc^ m the least, thwarts my wllL I 
read, the trld of your fidih worked patienc^p the 
trial of mkie, is t^ dkect contrary. Instead of pa^ 
tient ^ibomsion, t waqt to>have my ^wn way, ta 
take very litde physic, and that very sweet : so the 
flesh Ijusteth. Bat the physician knoW better, he 
knows wheo^ and what to prescribe ^ may every 
potion purge out this impatient, proud, unbetiev- , 
ing temper,, so that faith may render healthful ta 
the soul, what is painful to the flesh. And as no* 
cross can be endured without tbe.fakh of the Son 
bf God, so 

Seventhly and lastly—- there is no comfortable 
view of leaving the world, but by the same faith*. 
These dl, who tad obtained £v good report iu cv* 



5 



LETTERS. loi 

cry VLgCf died in fdth. On their death-bed^ they 
did not I00I& for present peace and future glory, 
but to the Lamb of God. Their great work, 
their enunent services, their vu'ious sufferings, all 
were cast behind their backs, and they died as 
th^ livedo lookbg at nothing but Jesus. He was 
their antidote agsunst the fear, and against the 
power of death. They feared not die cold death* 
sweat; Jesos's Uoody sweat was theird^pendance. 
The dart lost its force on jc^asft nde.. The sthig 
was lost in his corpse. Death stung itself to death, 
when it killed him. There is life, life in its high- 
est exaltation and glory, in nol^ breathing die air 
of tins woridi This life, through death, Jesus 
entered 00, and we enter on it now by fintb^ and, 
wbei^ our breadi is stopped, we have this life, as 
be has it, pure ^iritual and divine. Because he 
fives i^ we shall live it also. Yes, my dear friend, 
we, you and I, after we have lived a little longer, 
to empty u»*more, to bring us more out of our- 
selves, that we maybe humbled, and Jesus exalted 
more, we stetU fall asleep *in Jesus, not die, but 
deep; not see, not taste death, so he promises us; 
but in, his dear arms, sweetly go to rest in our 
weary bodies, whenr our souk shall be with the 
iaord. And then we shall be perfect in tliat lesson, 
whicb we- kasn so very slowly in tins present 

K a 



iGZ RONLAlNZr^ 

world; tiamely/ that. firom him, 'and <rf^hiffl> ani 
to hto> are all tbit}gi;i to uriioia be aU chc ^orjr 
for ever and c¥cr> . Amen*. 

These are the thingv wtuds €k>d* bimflelf has 
taught me.^ Man hadr do hand at all in i$» No 
person in the world, not I mpelf s £bv \ foii|^ 
against them as long aa I could: :8i»ihat my ;pne«^ 
sent possession of thenv t^itii all the ndi Uessii^ 
whi<^they coarain^is'fraiii mybeatnniy'teaciiet 
alone. And I bate not kacmdflbeQi^ a$jwe:dc> 
n^athematics^ to keep them m mmorj^ and to^ 
makeuseof tbea^:wbenJt{4ease; no, I find in me 
to this^ moment an oppositton to. every go^li- 
trudi, both to the bdief of it in my head^ and to< 
the comfort of it in my heart I am stiM a poor 
dependant creature,, sitting irerylovA ar the feet ot 
my dear teacher,. andJearningto admire that. lowe 
of hisy which rbrought mc. down and keepa me- 
down at hU feet. There is my seat^ till I leam< 
my lesson perfectly. That \i^l aoon be. There 
is nothing in Ins presence, hut what is like himseUv. 
In heaven all is perfection^ Tlie saints/ are a» 
bumUe, as they are bai^y. Oodied, wttbgfory and 
clothed with liumility-wi^ one heart »Kitmevoi€% 
they cry, Worxhit is th£ Lams* The)tkak Miat,. 
they praise not» one another ; but the Lamb is ^^ 
tifiedin bis saintsj, and will have firoQi^.tbem dever^ 



I 
/ 



LETTERS. 1^03 

cfn&g^prake and ^xy, for.th« glory. vfaicb V^ 
S0vereig»grde39ba» bMowcft upon.thqou In a; 
measure I bow foeV ix^icM: tbcjy doi^ My hd^^rt ii 
in tune» and I can join thi^ Uetaedbynuv^lookJuatg 
atima 0» the-^vor «f gnK:e fd»d grace, is gloqr 
beguii> tioiahmf^^ they Jcxokai him^^tbc/'giycr 
ofrgJory. 1 can. takQ.the 'CXEciwo, mortrgladl^ 
fraoktbr. boadioC alLmy*graca^ as Acf^o hma 
thttrhGaA tsi.'tb^.f^tff. and caft:k dowB .ift/hii- 
loKuig (edu WmthY' la.TBa Laxb*. H^ ii.^ 
he i&-*<4>ksaQg»4m bim.for ever andxvcr.^ 

OuglK not I to say so^ indebted as I am ta 
that precious Lamb of God. You see bow he has 
dealt with me^— -the Idndness, the gentleness of his 
vaysy--*hi3 royal bounty,— the ma^ificence of his^ 
love. Adore and praise him with me^ and for me^ 
And learn, my dear friend, from what I have 
here related, co^rust bam mdre.. When he ^ews^^ 
you your vile heart, ymir poor works; whea 
d^adfiil corruptions stirj^^andare ready to break 
out ; go to him, freely, boldly; stop not a moment 
to reason with your own proud ^irit, but fall 
down at his footstool. - T0II hhn jtii% ^vrtiat you 
feel. He loves to hear our com^aints, poured^ 
with, /coA&deJ^e^ inta b^. bQ^Qm. And nf^y^r, ne- 
tw» oOi ^acth, will you get ^x^ fdlpiwship wt^ 
hu% .^^olos^^ so bkfisi^^ ¥^ea jqh^ cwvq^ 



ro4 ROMAINE'-S 

widi him io this poverty of spirit. Let nothiog 
keep you from him; whatever you meet with, 
let it drive you to him : for all good is from Urn, 
and all evil is turned into good by him. O won- 
drous Saviour ! Here was I going on, and I hope 
in this tbeme^ never to stop— 8ut the Rev. Mr. 
«— « is come s>~one just ordsuned. I do not 
leave Jesus to taik to him^ but I am going to him 
to talk of sweet Jesus. To him I commend you 
and yours. Believe me very truly yours in that 
most lovely Lord Qirist^ most predous Jesus. 

W. IL 



X -v 



LETTER X39n; 



Lambeth, Sept. 27, ijCfi 



XT ^ERT PEAR IRtSND^ 



I 



HAVE been waiting for good news, but in 
vain. I wanted some satisfactory answer to your 
hsti and though Icasi^ve you none, yet I x^ 



LETTERS. 105 

up C9y V^i: to make an applogy for the gr^ac 
LcK*^, (wba wlU not. ftend you , a minister) least 
you sboi4^ bQgm, to^biak barely of biai^ and of 
me copy .his poor servaati I would have . you to 
remember, ,tbac the government is upon bis sboul- 
der&^^he goven^toiept of .heaven and earths I& 
cburcb isi tb<e object ;of his $p<edal goyemtx^ent* It 
is his body-^^hought with bis biood-r-qMlckenedby 
bis Sp|rit^*-kept by- hia power— J^leaecd with bis 
k>ve* All it9 coiikcerns are upoi) bis heart: hia 
eyes are upon ■ ■ ■ > b^ sees bis |>eoplc. there wU^ 
perfect complac^cyi and tfaey shall ,want4H)tbing^ 
tbat he ba& to g^vc< Among tbe reUy he .bchoUa 
yoa and your?, and k managing all for your good^ 
All . shall be. bfesiBiBd to yov^i yomr relat^oos^ ypar 
bouaCy yo^ sMb^t^iskce, yoqr state of body^ and of 
mind^ .your K£c and deaths tbiilgs temporal and 
spHtual. He wiS turn all things into Ukswg^: 
for he doe$ all things well. H< docs not/ he can* 
not makeone mrstaki& In b^ goveram^nt^ no, not 
the least. He.|s. wisdom^ IxQ is love^ he is power 
itself. Infinite wisdom dir^ct^biis love^ andtKdla^ 
k to Work; and^ being Abni^^ he .makes all 
things work together for the best to bi$ dtar peo^ 
pie. You are as dear to hiiii at — ••— , as we are 
at London. When be knows it to be right, he 
will send you a pa3tor after his^ own heart; and 



-V 



ro6 ROMAINE'^S 

when he does not want one there, you cannot gH 
one. When it is right you should be comforted, 
you diall be humbled, and then your consolations 
AdXt abound : and when it is right you should be 
low and mourning, he will In-ing good, yea, joy 
out c^ heaviness. Think of all that his power 
cando> his love disposes, hiscovcn^rlnndshim, 
to do it for his people. 

O ! blessed Mr$« --— -» ! What a happy womair 
are you? Jesus is yoursi All he is, all he has,, 
(and mind be is Lord of alt things) is yours. Who> 
is Mce unto your Jesus? None, none, in heaven? 
cur earth: for your friend has all powtr in heaven 
and earth, and he will use it for your good, to 
keep you, to guide you, to ^ve you what is bestt \ 
what he knows t6 be best */ and has, as such, ap- I 
planted for you in his wise counsel, and purpose 1 
of grace. Leave yourself thenr to bis care and \ 
management; yourself and yours. Thist him for 
a pastor. Faith i$ the best way to get one. Ask 
of Mm, believing^ and Mf . -— — ^ or some one, you 
n^er heard^ of, shall be sent. Believe for your 
mercies, and you cannot want your mercies. If 
3K>u take notice of God^^ dealings,^ you will find, 
That God ftever take/ away what you are enjoying 
by faith. All things are possible^ both to get and j 
to^ keepi^ to bkn that believeth. And when belief 



LETTERS. 



907 



^oes, all go^s. And well it is so : for that, which 
is not enjoyed by faicb, is not worth enjoying. It 
can bring no real good to us, and no glory to 
<7od ; therefore we had better be without it. In 
this holy art of believing for our blessings, I wisb 
you, most heartily, a great proficient. Faith 
alone makes the difierence. I would have you 
dsuly to practice it for every earthly good thing 
you enjoy; then shall it produce a gladness of 
heart— 4)ut, without faith, it will not be to your 
true solid comfort, because not sanctified. You 
see how open I write; my veiy heart appears. 
For I know your weak ride. There I fear for 
you ; and my fear is a holy .fear. I fear for God's 
glory^ in the use pf a comfort so near your very 
^ul, and Iknow of no way but what I now^tcU, 
you. Believe for your mercies. That will secure 
God^s honour, and your comfort. To the sweet 
arms of your divine Jover, I commend you and 
jours, that he would give you grace to trust all 
your earthly comforts daily in the Saviour's care/ 
This I shall entreat for you, being VC17 heartily 
y40urs in that loveliejst of all loves. 



'» 



«o8 R0HAINE»S 



LETTER XXVH, 



Black Friars, Oct. 27, 176^ 



VY DEAR FRIEND, 



F 



iSTDtNC the cover of this fetter yesterdayi 
it put me in mind of our past eorrespondence, and 
brought back into pleasing reflection many agree- 
able interviews with you and yours. I was resolv- 
ed therefore to make use of this cover. Provi* 
dence, I thought, had put it in my way. It is 
to be sent 4s directed, to be a witness for me of 
my constant attachment to you and your family, 
as well as of my uninterrupted affection . Go, letter^ 
and say so. . Assure them, that I aiti still the same in 
heart, in deed, wishing and praying to approve 
myself to be unfeignedly theii^ And tell them 
my reason; it is bcc^ii^e, through grace, I am 
the same in heart, in deed, to my spiritusd 
FRIEND; wishing and praying to approve my- 
self to be unfeignedly his in all things. Upon 
better acquaintance I am become settled in my 



iyETTEilS. 109^ 

3ovei and rest in it. I have some little intimacy 
with the friend of sinners^ and what be manifests 
4:6 me of himself, increases affection, lie teaches 
me to loath myself; every day he lets me see and 
feel the total rum of this body of sin and deaths 
and v^ill not let me look at any thing in, or of my- 
self, from whence I may draw one moment's 
comfort. Tlius he makes himself more lovely. 
5e]£-loathing renders him precious. The more 
we get out of self, the more we^ grow into Jesus. 
Tired of ou^ works and duties, we learn to value 
his righteousness. Feeling we cannot keep ouiv 
sdves, we kno^ how to 4rust his faithfulness, who 
hath undertaken to keep his people unto th^ end. 
O what a friend is this! whose love is like him- 
self; the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. 
This sense K>f his love makes lusj)eople loving. 
And his love to -them is the bond 6f all tlieir holy 
love to one another. Having put on Christ, they 
.put on with him, kindness, brotherly love, bowels 
of mercies, &-c. Some of these, but I do not 
boast, I feel to you and my dear iriends with you. 
Uiaj our love be mutual, increasing continually 
in every sweet and hdy affection. The love of 
Christ will constrain to this; it spreads like leaven. 
JEvery act, not only brings forth, but also diffiises 
its sweet influence. Whenever I remember you, 

L 



MO ROMAINE'^ 

and make mention of yoir at cur <:ourt, tfieOking 
not (Mily hears, • but approves, and makes the lo^ 
expressed to be love abounding* The holy flame 
spreads as it burns : so that ' every affection, as it 
increases in its attachment to our glorious beadf 
makes us more truly loving to alLhis members. 

My dear jfriend, I wish you were more inifimatc 
with this loi/ing Jesus. And why not? What has 
he done Co make you shy of him ? All your com- 
plaiuts afbout yoiffself are no bar: they arc so 
many ties and bonds, constraiAtitg yc^ to love 
him; yea, he wfll love to hear them frdm yoi|, 
. as matters of feith. Whatever you are, or fed 
of sin, misery, helplessness, &c. if rightly man- 
aged, should increase your knowledge of , and de- 
pendence on, the Lord' Jesus Christ- Indeed aH 
that you meet with, till you meet him face to 
face, should bring you into more experience of 
his perfect salvation, and of his free love to be- 
stow it on fflich as you. By which means you 
would be growing daily in the excellency of the 
knowledge of yonr Lord, and would be more con- 
formed to his image and example. May you and 
I increase daily in this heavenly friendship, and" 
lovc him in our measure, as he loved, us. I- have 
just returned from a journey of seven hundred 
miles; ashamtd and confcanided at his mercieis to 



Betters* m 

jtie> and mine; and yet, to pour my praises to his 
grace, so mean my services in his own work, that 
I am forced to cry for merc]^ on my best sermons 
and labours. I am returned home self-abased, 
carrying this truth written on my heart, and de- 
ling to manifest it in outward conversation. Let 
him that gloiietb, glory only in the Lord- Jesus. 
I saw. Lacfy H-«— *, who was pure and wejl, and I 
preached at. her chapel at Bath. She had not re- 
ceived satisfactory, or I think she said^ no answer 
at all from Lord Qiaoceltor ; but he must ^ ve 
such an answer as our Lord Chmceibr pleases. 
That is. our comfort* My love to Mr. •— — . I 
am goingv to ^ray. for him* All covenant bleasings^ 
be witb.you and your^ The.Lord ipare ^-«- for. 
his rnerckg sake. , I do not know what you would^ 
aU da» if.be who: gav^ hiq;), was to take him 
away; and remaubo' he ha$.a right to do ir, 
when be will. Far^wtil, farewd.. I am yours in 
pur dear Locd and Jcee^r. 

W. R. 



H2 R<>MAINT»3 



LETTER XXVllL. 



Ma/, 176S. 



T, 



HANK yooy my good fnend, for remetn- 
bering hie. I beg^n to have some hard tb<^ughts« 
of you, but they aro gone; time has tai^t me, 
that old friends are better than nevr, and grace 
has improved this experience: for fiiendi in Chrisr 
will be so for ever. We may part, but only to 
meet again; Love can reach kom London to 
-— ; sy^ a great way farther. I feel my heart, 
just now united to — *», and rejoice from tny 
soul, that Jesus has taken hct up to Uoisetff 
thanks be to him for the grate she had, and the 
glory she had received, out of his fuhiess. Bless- 
ings on him, that we are going the same way, to 
meet our best friend, and all our friends;: and to 
be with him our heaven^making Jesus, and to be 
with them, for everniore. I was led, ff%m read- 
ing your letter, to a very comfortable view of the 
Prince of life. I thought I saw him in that cha- 
racter, exceednig amiable and glorious ; and the 
more 1 considered it, the more lovely it grew to 



LETTERS. 1 13 

tht€je c£ finch. For k seemed to me, tibat nti 
axiAdsath came into the world wkh all their trsun 
of evyi^ that die Son^ of God might be glorified 
tbevdi^ Jf^oudeffitl'iji' Us name, who ^an bring 
lighOBousoeat eut of sin.. Whaet a ndrajde-work- 
ing Jesus is he, who can make life out of deadi? 
Indeed all he dbes^ is in this strange way, peculiar 
to^ himself, that! man might be the crown of 
erowas;. As a. JxsvBi be not only 8ave» fironi the 
ev3 of si» a&ddeatb; dm is the- least partof his 
matchless wockr but he also, in the free ^ft of 
his s oveie^u ty^ bestows r^hteoasness and life; 
and, to the everlasdng praise of his sovereignty, 
besiows the» oa the most imri^ttieous; and on 
die most dead iii sin* fii diss praise, bow glori- 
ous is our Jesus. My heart is now c^Mivated 
wkh his iaknitaUe lovehaiessr aldioiigh I see htm 
lteo«]gb a ^assedarklf ; what must he be m futt 
and opem view, when the disfiaj^ of his beautf 
will make an ecet^ heaven? 1 knew one, who 
was admitted as thai! happy. soul was. Cant, if, 9' 
to see the divmc lover looking forth at the win- 
dow, and ^wing tftns^, or as it is in the mar- 
gm, flourisbmgi openings and eacpancfing fikc a 
flower, hisbeaiKies and fragrance through the' 
kttis window* It was a ravishing sight. If tho 
eye and senses of faith can be thus hij^y delight^ 

L 2 



i»6 KOMAtT<tI*S 

to mfefcB, £ttid f^smamtomf beast. He is xsxp 
fife. I fio^ it,, enjoj^ it, ki him, and let me sfosk, 
017 dcisur friend,, a word for bim to jmi far Mm, 
» I am in diacj^ bouod'»-^ /otf, a^ I^e <SAnBtnuns' 
me. For bim, I spedc a most^ cemplele, aba0-> 
tutely and etemt^ perfect Saviour. Wis persmi^. 
bis work pcMseflsed 1^ a& tiie ^ries of tfae*(^<> 
bead. What he did" asid su&red,, in order diat 
he tngbt aave ta the ttltemiosr ^ admitsr of no ad^- 
didom It^wss onee dtoe and perfected £br ever.. 
My . frieikd, have yc»] the beis^t of ^basl Do yoir 
enjoy it in your conscience? and there read, and 
there mt&otmn, a* fell andeverlas&g repeal frbm^ 
the sentence of deadi. This is> the bonoir Jesisr 
claims of you. And i| i^ the higliesl^you can pay^ 
lum. Yoa can dot lum no greater homage, ncr 
more'acceptable worsh^, than to put yotir entire 
depeddctee^ wkbont any, the leattt drawii^ biack^ 
or wavemngr on his Ufe and deadi, as yourwhole 
deBveranee from' si» and ileath,^. as! yonr clear tide 
to heaven and gloryi When fiiich shews yoo the 
divine majesty of Ib&ryfr Son,; andtfae everlasiang 
honours of bis obecBencr unto death, then wilt the 
peace of Ood n^ in yotar heart, and thereby you* 
will gbr^the blood imd tlxe rigfateousnesff of the 
Redeemer, more than any angel, more thai^ any 
happy sfHin&araund bk throne. 



LETTERS. nr 

The enemy long«--too long hspt me from that 
ei^oymenr, by wiles and snares, chiefly legal views 
and self-righteous {Jans. Siill, he now and then, 
gets an advantage of me. But I be^ my friend, 
you would beware of his devices. Are you rest- 
ing tqx>n Jesus? and do you find the sentence of 
death is no longer in force against you? Read, 
study your HUc, pray and beg for an increase of 
£dtfa. This is the use of 411 means. May tl^e 
Lord the Spirit, bless them to you. Faith is your 
shield against the accuser of the brethren, and 
against your own legal workings. If you grow 
in this experience, you will grow more and more 
afive to God, you will believe,, and find more (^ 
the love of a reconciled father. The more you 
fest on die finished salvation, you will certainly 
abound more in the blessed fnnts of k: sacb as 
seeing yourself jperfectly saved, your hopes will 
all cast anchor within the veil, your afifectioB^ will 
get fixed on tlieir everlasting object,, and you wiU 
comae under the sweet government of king Jesus. 
Thus Hving in him, you will live to^ him, winch 
i&not only spiritual life, but is also indeed spiritual 
Bveliness. And if you ever find this decay after 
you once had it, mind and attend to the cause ot 
its decay, and you will see tliis was the only cause^ 
namely, your faith was therefore not lively, be- 



tit' R.0MAINJ?S 

oiiise you \9t!Pc not rescmg |»erfec^. opon Jesus, zs 
your Ssviour, from< the sKMxsnec, of deaih. This 
vmB the ^;o^rm^ which eat into the g0m^ -and 
tasBic it' wilber^ K^p this out| it mil fiourisis 
and grow; as long as you haw any need o£'f»tfa: 
far prtMoiMi,' 6r for happiness* And when the 
time^ comeSy thatfdfh isto be no niore.«^WK2^i» 
dyings U it not ia Ae hand of Jesus^ Does not 
tie aj^ht ie> fix^ it-^-tend itl Has not he promise 
cdMD be with you in the hour of dtath^ to keep^ 
you fmiA^ the fe^ and from the ]|x)wer of it^ Is 
a0t her fkithful> almiglttyi all-loving? his love 
wanes no" power v& make his promises good to bis 
dying friends. Yea, he does make thenv good 
every^day; He will to you> doubt it not* I have 
written^ till my time is up. You are sur^ my^ 
siAject is not exhausted; no, never will be. But 
I am forced to stop. My dear friend, pray fbr 
mci You know my profession of love for your 
soul. 60d knonei my heart. Adieu. 






rUETTERS. ^19 



LETTER XXrX- 



June tu 

X RANKS to; ni^ dear frknd for bcr last. It 
-was a great refiredimeiittoine. > O how -does my 
spirit rejoice to see the blessed Jesus crowned and 
exalted in your son!,, and no other namne mention* 
ed in your lips^ nodependance upon any being or 
thing in your heart or £fe» but that God^nan. 
This is the point. Here ^may we fix. fint alas! 
^although I would fix, and never ^ much as turn 
my eye from hence^ yet I find so many enemies 
^thin and without^ that it is hard keeping our 
bold, and never letting it go* = In chiG^warfare the 
flesh and the spirit fight .without ceasing. The 
•41esh against Christ's sufficiency, and the Spirit for 
him. But thanks be to his grace, the Spirit is 
almighty, and he has given the flesh in all be- 
lievers a mortal wound, of which it will, ere long, 
vbleed to death. And then, oh blessed prospect, 
we shall see the captdn of our salvation, through 
Avhom we conquered; face to face. That is enough. 



1TO ROMAINE'^S 

There is heaven/ May you and I, till we g&t 
there, learn daily to make more use bf Christ. 
Our dear fellow soldier, lady -— —, fights bravely. 
She went to Brighthehnstone this day se'nmghc 
I bad a sweet letter from her this morning. She 
is happy in the adorable Immanuel, and lives to 
him, and for him* Her only view in Sussex is to 
carry his glad tiding to a wretched ignorant -peo- 
'ple. He has hitherto . prospered her design, and 
while he,«miles upon it, I believe she wiQ not ^ve 
it up. 

God willing I shall leave London on the 20th 
cfthb month; but am not yet determined how 
I shafi travel. In hopes of the ;pleasure of meet- 
ing jo^f I viU ti'ouUe you with a line, as soon 
las I know whether I ride, or come in the coach, 
or in a post-chdse. My dear, ever dear Lord 
and Master keep you! To his sweet and tender 
Jieart, I commend you, and am for his : precious 
name sake, your faathful friend and servant. > 



LETTERf. tat 



*« 



LETTER XXX. 



BiACK Friaiu, May a, 1769. 



I 



WROTE to my good friend at Cbrjstmasy 
•and got anaaswer at Easter. Indeed I began to 
think yoti had dropped xat: for I make myself 
sure of nothing, but of my dear Lord's unchange** 
able love. Yet I corrected myself for chinking 30 
of you: but I was tempted, and I have combust* 
ibie enough to feed anj^ yea, every temptation. 
The Lord keep me ftom others, as he did from 
this* 

You ask my opinion of inoculation. People, 
who reason upon worldly motives, may do as chey 
please. To others, X would relate the case c^ a 
great Poctor in divinity, and a gi*eat christian, 
who had an only son. His wife was for, tlic 
DoctcM- was against, inoculatioo. They had many 
disputes about iu The Doctor s£ud he could not 
do it in faith — ^the wife said she could do it, be- 
cause she believed it to be for the best. Neither 
side wcoild yield ; so they agreed to put it off^ till 

M 



, I 



11% -RCMAIKE'S 

the one or the other should give up their opinion^ 
and both be of one mind. Tlie child was thus left 
in God's hand-^he gottbe snialtpbx in die natural 
way^ and did well* 

I attend to your complaints of yourself. They 
are true. You might make a thousand more, and 
alike true. JSut^ uiy dear friend, what of all 
this? Is not Jesus the Saviour of such sinn^ as 
you are? * Pray, take tieed df geOinginto a ^om- 
plainii^g teUlipbr, and Gontr^tiiYg a lilabit iDf it: 
for dierc is nd greater dneiily to J^tis, to the 
growth of your icommiiniou with hifn^aaid to^fbe 
liveliness of yofirheaitt'tdwafds him. I wdiild 
have you sensible df all your causes ^f toinplaiBt, 
but satisfied tinder them; and willing to be just 
what you arc. In this • jtovcrty of spii^it, 6eedy, 
sinful, helpless, dependent temper, condsts the 
very life of faith: for while you fcel thus, every 
thing in you and about you says, ** You must go 
*^ to Jesusw^you can ^o nothing without him— he 
*' must counsel, and strengthen, and comfort*— lie 
^^ must save-r-be must he a Jesus to you evei^y mo- 
^* meat, aiii in every thing.*' What reply docs 
the believer make? — ^'^ It is true — witliout him I 
<< can do nothing^*-*-! am helpless, iind his strength 
"is perfected in my utter weakness; most gfedly, 
<' therefore, do !• glory in my v/eakness, that the 



tETTERS: 123 

'^strength: of Christ quay, reit upon noe.^ 0| for 
niore> of Paul's bappy expcrieDcel He had no 
such glafecss.a^ that,, which arose from commu^ 
nion with Jesmsy aQd> He gfovici in that, which 
helpedv him to t^is communicm, by making it ab* 
sohitely necessary for Hoi, He did not commit 
^on purpose;, btit being a simier, he did not 
wish' not to be one, in himself; it was bis joy, 
yea his crown, of rejoicing that God- Jesus, and 
sio&l Paul were one. Here he found his heaven; 
Jesus was united to. the sinner, as meat is to the 
hungry s> and Paul lived upon him, feasted on 
him> enjoyad Jesiis^ as. die hungry do their meat* 
fo was such a. feast,, that Paul would not wish to 
ha«e no appetite, but rather to have it enlarged, 
that he might live more upon the bread of God, 
and grownup more> intO' Christ Jesus« 

What h must I always, be this poor^ needy anner ? 
Yes } always, till you get into heaven. And then 
you will. be perfectly humbled, and have nothing 
within, you-^ to rol^ Jesus of any part of his glory. 
AUyour salvation J fix>m the councils of eternity 
to the eternal fulfilment of them, will then be 
made plain ; you will sc^, confess, and be happy 
in confessing^ that sovereign ^ace did all for you, 
andin you. And in the perfect sense of this, you 
wilt triumph in being a sinner saved, and in 



124 ROMAINE^S 

this you will triumph as long as heaven i$ heaven; 
But thus you keep. on complaining—*'! find my-* 
^' self too often poring over my own inward sin- 
^' fulness and misery, and consequently giving* 
*^ way to unbelief> whenever my^poofr reason tclb 
" me, I should be rejoichig in the God of my saU 
"varion.'' And what then J unbelief is Jn.you> 
felt or not; and unbelief given way to, is your 
burden — this makes for you.. And it only proves j; 
that you are still at school, learning your second^ 
lesson; and that is, how the God of your salvation^ 
being received^ is to be enjoyed* Yon own he 
is received. You call him, the God of iwy salva- 
tion. ' Observe, my dear friend, now this Jesus is 
yours, ALL is yours. You have an undoubted 
right and title to Him, and to Hi&— improve it 
then, and make use of his fulness^ Your estate. 
is clear and bouncHess, you have only to rccdvc 
the incc^nc of it in grace, as well as in glory. I 
pray you, my dear friend,, to ^study^ thisr lesson, 
and if the Lord, the Spirit help you to kar» it, 
well; it will save you from many an aching hearts 
Observe, Jesus is yours, after this, you are not to 
seek for any new title to any: part of salvation. 
This is also secured ;- but you are called upon Us 
enjoy the purchased salvation> and to be a hap^ 
py receiver out of the Saviour's fulness. Suppose 



LETTERS. M5 

jpoa-fivc tfauB cter so V9e% ikccbre evar sa much> 
wfaEatnyoii^ti^ ia Cfafitt is( no pattt of your tkte 
toChidsl; urtiat you receWe fr^^m Cbnst b net 
]Mmr latte to parildny t&nghtecusnct^op to hotik 
ses8* : He- ' m recdived foir these purpeses^-^He, 
Cbiasi hitmdf,' and yoiir engoyiitg Kim for these 
ipqxxiiss^i are not^ youv tkle ti(> p^don, d*c. 
What Cainrist' docs for you, or in yt^v or I^ ytH}> 
UrfMiitobehoktA^ztf so as doe tO'lckdtt stdltsitn^ 
ply.at Ch?i^ hiaisitfj > Whad lie % and vrhat he 
did foryiniy here^ is aSyoiar ^sdvariotv. Wbftt to 
does in you^or by pu^' here is^tbe enjoymimt of 
tliis salvmioQ m ic$ fridts and^effi^cCs : But ^ibcse 
ftnits audi effects do not iii^e yoir holy ^-^-oli^ no> 
the poor beggars, vi^ho are ftd^ at ottr king^s n- 
ble, will ixi^ver say-«^e paly t^ king for oMv mmt 
b^ eatioig a gre^ de^; or, his meat feeds us^ 
^ therefore! we make duf^elves strong ;«-mm*, 
lus: grace noiirisbefir us^ and therefore we tnake 
oursellrers' hdy* Nc(,* no they aire taught ^ bctteh 
Tiiey wili ^limjs tksfknowledge^-^the more we re- 
Get?e Olii'df the folneSd of Jesus, we find oursehre^ 
siore haipp^, -and the fhiitt of our interest in him 
are more abundiaflie tt> oar comfort and to his gV> 
tff bfHt oiJr debt Inerettsts; and the better we are 
fed iaixd clothed^ and kej* up wWl his royal h&^n^ 
tf,.he leaves u§ nothing to glory in^ ejccept h\i 



ja6 ROMAINE^S 

overflowtDg grace. In this sjurk Ms people fieac^ 
and read, and pray^ and attend means and ordut* 
^ances ; they do not seek hoHness in tbese----not tor 
be made holy by them-*-bat they do attend la 
faitb^ sanctified first by the iaith Aat is in Jesus, 
and in that faith enjojwg him in all they do. 
Christ is my sanctification, before I can do aiqr 
thing aright, and what I do arighty- does tkot taaikc 
me holy, but shews that I am^facriy. Every living 
branch is ingrafu:d:into^ the root and ^ock of ho-- 
liness> and its leaves and fruit do not make it ta 
be in the vine, but only prove, that it is in it. A 
member is not made living by doing its office. 
The eye does not live by seeing,, but it is a living 
eye, and therefore sees. You must be Of living 
member in the mystical body, before you can di» 
your office in it Poing your office, does not 
make you> but only shews that you are a living 
member.. My dear friend, weigh these things 
well. I \«rily believe die holy Spirit is now teach- 
Ingyou this lesson: for] see yoi| cannot be con- 
tent with yourself,, nor your graces--^or gpfts— • 
knpravc this divine teacbipg„ and leam to build 
all your hopes €jf holiness on Christ made of God 
sanctiacation for you. . And the more clearly you 
believe this, you. will love the ^od of your salvar 
tkn more; your q>irJtual enemies wiU be tmv^ 



LETTERS. i2r 

sAAvkA, and in heart and life you will be more 
devoted to God, to his vnp and will. I give 
foa tins advice from my own knowle^e. Give 
me eredit, and try, and you wiU soon find cause 
to ^e God his gtory. 

I hope to look i^on you, and say on this sub* 
jecc more than I can on paper. Remember me 
ki love and respect. The good will of your un-- 
changeatHe Friend be with you and yours, and 
me ami misev 



LETTER XXXI. 



Brxohthelustons, July 20. 



J, 



zms be yours, all be i% and all he has. 
Then you will be as rich as an arch-angel. I 
hope hef ni^ill be mjr guide, and bring me to — ^ 
en Friday next^ between one asd tv^o. I am not 



stipe^'becaasff I: liave nor tslken a ptoce itt t&r 
atagje^, nor sbaiV till I go co Lomdbo^ \riiilb' wilb 
be oh Toe^y next^ If I camnot cotaa m dx^ 
stage, jtediafw I may see jtmi befort. Wfego on; 
sweetly in this place. Christ bindetd exateed^ 
and reigns glorious in m^rvf w heatt, as I wish 
he may in yonrs. Ife doe»M)ut noc as^ ymi eondci 
wish. May he captimte- you Bmm iriib J» jii» 
Hnite beauty/ and enable yoato ]b« morie bkssed 
upon his ^infinite fulness, that he may keep hie^ 
royal court in your soul. The more you are ac- 
quainted with him, you will grow inTove: fbr he 
is altogether lovely. An immense ocean of ever- 
liasting love. The wlrole- world is but a drop of 
his love— -what must heaven be^ where his love 
is to be glorified and enjoyed for ever >— there wc 
shall him. Oh for that day ! IBiat even by the 
way, as he walki with us,^ he inakes our hearts 
burn within us. These sweet foretastes of his love 
draw us on, and whet an appetite. A few more 
of these, and wer^rinufti grt^to the fountain-h^^i 
and drink rivers of pleasure for evermore. To 
fiis precious dear heart's love I commend you«nd 
yours, and am,^ for his sakr^: your frirai and^^ 
scrvante • 



LSTTEKS. 1I9 



LETTER XXXII. 



S 



^wztr Jesus be with my dear friend! I 
promised you a note as soon as I was detcritiined 
what way I sbouM travel. It is sow fixed fdr th« 
«-— — stage, in whicbi God willing, I shall reach 
■ on Friday the ^4th of thb months about 
^2 o'clock at'noon^ when I hope to see some 
faces fro m to rejoice my heart, with whom 

to talk a littlb of our time away about that dear^ 
dearest of all dears, the only one worth talking 
about. I know not of any good use the tongue 
is a& present^ but to^ he telling of his salvation 
from day to day, in the praise of which salvation 
It will be employed for ever andrevcr. May your 
heart and mine be ever warm with bis love, and 
then our tongues cannot help telling of what our 
hearts feel. To his precious love I commend you 
and yours, and am, for the sake of tliajt dear man 
of sorrows, yois: friend and servant, 



130 KOMMrtns 

p. S. Strange doings at — ! A party for 
me, another against me. Violent on bod) sides. 
Alas, alas! what iradt this about} I sent word I 
should preach ther« on Sunday the 26th ; I know 
not whether they will let me : if they do, I hope 
you wilt mount me on that very quiet mare I 
beard of last year. But tmtic of tbea^rtiiiQgs 
wheoLiwe meet*- , Jesus > he with youi Ami^ 



LETTER XXXIUi 



BtAcx. FaiARs> March 5, 1770V 



WP :VBJn^DB^iR\ JtKtE»D, 



I 



w^AiTEd on ——4 and he tbld^ me, be. was 
to call at —-—in bi& way home* I- could not re» 
1^ the opportunity of sending, in writing, my 
thanks for your last kind letter. My heart re* 
joices^ and is tbankfel for many things, which you 



3LJETTERS, 131 

say ill itf of jour depefidcnce od tbe finished sat 
vadioa4>f Jesus^ asidofyottr doire to.«xperkiice 
moredffafe graces and UessKigs* IseenrtiatsiDpa 
yon yibe^erj same that stops me. And I wcmU 
lay bdSbre you the go^ i modres' oad (mcoars^e* 
iseateto get on^ revealed in the: wwd, and I* hope 
innsome meannv made 'use&l tone by* die spirit 
of jQod* 

I have remarkedi in iooQTenhig-^idryoii,.aiid 
inaUyour letterify the (trorkk^of alegal aiid 
seif-righteous Jtemper^'C^rto iiursegiiii^ fears, 
and to-€b«ridihnfegtvingsv'aiid^^$pidcm»o^ 
intereist in tte great ^salvation. The itamc are 
dalAy disturbing my feace^ aad are the -vevy 
jpkigne of my : iifc. The oflfy : remedy against 
them is to look^ell to thecotttcknce, ^liere they 
faavethdr rise, arid to use aU appdim^ means 
for estabSsbing it in 4}ie peace of God. This h 
^e main pdtnt A holy walk> andsuccettfol war- 
fstre, depend .entirely on the cettlaunsy of con- 
sdence. The belie ver's chief business is to learn 
to resist a^ to^ overcome^ ginlt, -feary^^nd unbelief, 
tliat riicse • bemg kept out of his oonscicnee, . the 
peace ^f God mayrtrfe thtf^ alM^ysand by alt 
means. Then it ^villbc what the scripture calls 
a good comcieuce. And when this is godcl, all 
goes 0n well. Now that is a good conscience 



fja ' ROMAIME'S 

wbidi wimesseB to the truth as tt is in Je9i]S» 
CcMisciencey I suppose, is than faculty of the soul 
vrbicby uuder the t»cbing of the Holy Ghost, 
compares the Riser's beavt and life with die holy 
law of Cody brings Um in guilty for transgressing 
its precepts, and leaves hina under guilt and ^oti- 
denmation, to •uiFer its jusi penalties. The gos- 
pel sets forth to him an infinitely perfect righteous* 
nessy to satisfy the precepts, and an .everlasting}; 
Euffident atonement, even the sacrifice of Jehovah- 
Jesus, to satisfy the penalties of the law. When 
he is enabled to believe in this righteousness^ and 
In this atonement, his c<Hiscience is saved from 
guilt and c<Hidemnation ; yea, it acquits and justi- 
fies the sinner, and brings in a true verdict for 
hioi. It says the same that God Iiimself does : 
pleads its discharge, from the express words of 
the great charter of grace, binder the broad seal 
of Heaven. With the roy^ grants and immuni- 
ties therein graciously vouchsafed, it stops* the 
mouth of unbelief. " Thou art freely forgiven 
« ALL trespasses— Thou art justified from ah. 
^ things-^Thou art a son of my love, and shak 
^^Uc an heir of my glory— I, even I the Lord 
^^X^od, am thine, and thou sbalt lie mine for 
,^ ever." Here the believer triumphs : and why 
may not you^ and I too.^ I do, thanks be to in- 



^LETTERS. 133 

-ffinke grace. I believe thcgc words on the testi- 
:snony of God, as spoken to me. My conscience 

.bears witness to the trnth of the divine record. It 
is now a good conscience; it agrees with God; 
and looks .iipon-hira as reconciled perfectly: it 

• fears to dishonour him, by calling in guestion the 

-infinite value of Christ^s righteousness and atone- 
ment, or by doubting of their being mine, while 
I feel my want of them, and have any dependence 

, upon them* Thus the .peace of God rules, takes 
the. lead in the conscience, and subdues guilty 

- fears^; rules a t w ays • TTie covenaift is like the di- 

~. vine c<Jvenanters in the Godhead, always the same; 
the free grant of the righteousness and atonement 
of Imraanuel, always the same; my want of them, 

idways the same; and my interest, though not in 
nxy sense, yet in. God's purpose, always the same, 

'These gospel motives.khould teach you and me to 
maintain this peace always, and by all means. 

.Every thing should help to promote it. ♦Corrup- 
tions, enemies, temptations from every quarter, 
should, by all means, estabUsh our hearts in the 
peace of God; we dionld be trying at it, fightings 

Jfbr it; and, as it is our|)rivilege, we should never 

yield, but fight hard to keep a conscience void of 
offence* Thia is warring a good warfare, when 

me hold the mystery of faith in a pure conscience^ 

. N 



134 rilOMAINE!S 

Believe me, my dear friend? the management oF 
your conscience is the first and great'^lesson in the 
^hool of Christ ; and your chief mistakes and falls 
come from its not being governed hy the word 
and spirit of ^God. Look to it then, and hear, and 
read, and pi^y, and walk ; that the testimony of 
^our conscience may be agreeable to truth, as it is 
in Jesus. Insomuch, that when you fee! any thing 
wrong, when you are low in spirits, your sins dis- 
please, your dirties cannot-please you, you should re- 
rnembcri^at these very things, rightly managed, 
•will establish your conscience;inthe;|)eace,of God : 
because they will bring you to live entirely by tlic 
faith of the Son of God. Every new daty, you live 
to learn from them, that you have nothing to trust 
to but. the righteousness and the atonement of Je- 
sus, ctfid therefore, depending on rtiis sure fbunda. 
tiou, you may safely build your hopes of^God's be- 
ing in friendship with .you, yea, in an unchangea- 
ble and everlasting friendship. O that your heart 
may be spsinkled from an evil conscience, and 
mind, that is an evil one which, through unbelief, 
refuses to build its peace upon the life and -death of 
Immanuel ; and that is a ^ood conscience which 
has peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ 
our Lord, and expects all the love of the Father to 
come freely through his Son. This is the second 



LETTERS. '^ 135^ 

Usson io tbe school of Christ~<< How shall the 
** heart be made and kept happy in tbe love of God f** 
I answer, by believing that he is perfectly recon- 
ciled, and loves you. While there is guUt in the 
conscience, and you look upon tbe law broken, tbe 
puiiisbment deserved, and the almighty Jadge en^ 
gaged to inflia it, yon can no more love God, than 
you can love pain. But when you hear tbe gos- 
pel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, and can mix 
faith with it, then Cod is discovered^ as related to* 
yon, in the closest bond of love, even your dearest 
^endy your most loving Father ; which will draw 
cait the a&ctioQs of your heart to him: ** For we 
love him,, beoujise ** he first loved us.'' His love 
is first, your&^is second ; his i$ the <;au8e yours is the 
effect. He enables you to believe bis )ove to you, 
Sifxd that excites your love to him. 

You see then )iow much depends upQn tbe testis 
mony of the conscience. When this is on Christ's 
dde, and bears a faithfol witness for him, then 
your heart wiU be happy ; you will have joy and 
peace in believing : «< God is reconciled to me ; 
*^ he is my God : we are- agreed, and now we 
" walk together. He bids me call him Father ; 
'^ and I know be has bowels of love and fatherly 
" affection for me : He sees me, accepts me in 
" Jesus, and rests in his love to me. My title is 



ri6 "ROMAINE'S 

~'' clear to alt spirituar blessings ; becau8e> Gift 
^ being mjr G6d and Father, acl* tbtngv; are 
** mine.*' 

If you live like a christian, these should' be the 
constant iireathings of your heart. Your happy 
walk depends entirely on the belief of God's bring 
perfectly reconciled to you in his Son: and there* 
fore, you should not be auning at getting any 
new title to your heavenly Father's love, but at 
new' enjoyment. All is yours in tirfc; but you 
are to seek for more, stiH more possession* Eve^ 
ry day you should be seekfng to believe more, to 
enjoy more of the riches of your Father's love in 
Jcsust and nothing will stop your growing en- 
joyment, if the peace of God rule in your heart 
always, and by all m£aks. 

My dear friend, attend closely to this: for want 
of It, what sad mistakes have I made ! You 
will always fihd> when your heart departs fronx 
tlic Lord, that tlierc has been some guilt laying 
upon the conscience, and representing God to you 
\\\ some other light, than as your most Ibving Fa- 
tftr. But, pray mind : he has always the afiec- 
tion> as well as the name% Hechangeth not iii 
his love : be is to all his children ever of one mind • 
and, therefore, when you desire to enjoy his love, 
and in the enjoyment of it to find your hearts 



^ 



LETTERS. 137 

hqipyi look at nothing to bring jou to the Father 
but the Son. Read your share in his lovc^ take 
possession of it| for nothing done in you^ or by 
you^ now, or at any time, but only m and for the 
salvadon <^ Jesus^ jn wfaom his Father is your 
Father. Thus walk with him; making Christ 
your way, and Christ your end: keep walking on» 
leaning upon Christ every step for strength^ for 
victcx'y ov«r all corruptions and over all enemies^ 
which wpuld try to stop you from the enjoyment 
of your Father's lQve» Trust in Christ for all the 
blesmgs of it; for every thing that can keep you 
safe and make you happy all your way : and de- 
pend' upoa it, through Christ, you will find the 
company aiid presence of your God and Father* a 
very heaven here, as well as in gk>ry« 

Mr* -— — y would you daily^ walk with a happy 
heart? Tb» you must learn to make up all your 
happiness in the love which the Father bears to 
you in tus dear Scm. This is to be all your salva- 
tion, and all your desire. You must look quite 
away firom your graces, your ^fts, your duties. 
God doQS not love you for these : he loves you in 
his Son; and you, in believing this, arc to exer- 
cise your graces and gifts, and to he found in the 
way of duty, that you may have fellowship with 
him inliis )ovc^ 



I3« ROMAINE'S. 

' Ttus is the hardest task of all. I find it so t(y 
this day: and I know your temptations; there- 
fore, I would fimsh this long scroll^ with an ac* 
count of the influence of the former truths; yet a 
ready answer to this question-*-How are my tem- 
pers to be regulated^ and^my conversation to be 
so ordered; that I may, nigl:^ and day, enjoy the 
peace and the love of my reconciled God and Fa- 
ther ? The way is, to v)a& humbly with tour God. 
Do ix>t disomi what the Holy Spirit has taught 
you: give him the honour ofhis^ own grace: he 
has, indeed he has, teamed' you to say^ Abba, 
Father. God is your Father in Jesus. Walk 
humbly with bim^ afr such : so will you enjoy his 
sweet peace, and partake of bis haf^y love. 
While these rule in^ the conscience and in tfat 
heart, the tempers oppodte to tbem wilVbe resid- 
ed and overcome. The divine teacher will discoi> 
vier the si^ret workings of guik and unbelief, and 
keep d)em from destroymg thc^ peace of con.- 
science : by tus almighty grace> he will mortify 
carnal afiections, and crucify every idol-love : he 
will preserve the heart, as a' chaste vergin, for it9 
heavenly Lover. Rebel-nature will resist, yea> 
always; but it cannot overcome the Lord Gdd om*- 
nipotent: \itnmll bring all things into subjection 
to iumself. He 'w///, nay, let me sa}^ he hasx £ 



LETTERS. 139^ 

« 

appeal to yourself- ^Speak oat fbr God. Docs 
not your conscience say-—'' I will have nothing to 
^do widi any pretences to be my own Saviour. 
^ the righteousness of Jesus^ and his atonement 
''on the tree, are alt my salvation.'^ Does not 
your heart say— -I am sure I have heard you say— ^ 
**Tbis IS all my desire.'* Do nor your hopes say— 
''We have cast our anchor upon Jesus; thani 
" God, we can never be disappotnted." Do not' 
your fears say— "I would not for the world d6 
" any thing to displease my God and Father: bles- 
**scd Spirit, rule in me, rule over, me, mortify 
" the old man, and quicken the new man, day by 
" day.** 

Since God has done all this for you, O do not 
d^onoar lus work by hearkening to proud self, 
the old man of sin, who is ever reasoning withm 
you, against the glory of divine grace. He would 
have you to look at yourself^ and tor draw your 
safety and happiness from some pleasing views of 
your own goodness. He will be always tempting 
you to this : but remember; that you are not to 
look at, or to depend in the least upon yourself, 
but wholly upon God reconciled in Jesus. What* 

, ever is your own^ and comes from self, is to shew 
yon the necesaty ef walking hunibfy with your God. 

. Do you not feel tothis hour, that self is made up 



•1 



Mjpy ROMAINE'S 

of nofulness, wants, tempui^|ps> and miseries 
None of diese should stop you, but each should 
help to make 70Q walk more humbly with your 
God. Tliey are to shew you your constant need 
<^ salvation^ and to keep you always dependents 
QP God for it* No fiailsngs in duty,, no sense of 
in«d welling stn, no weakness, no opporicion should 
separate you, in conscience or heart, from your 
reconciled God, but should bring you to walk in 
nearer fellowship with him : by which abne, you 
will enjoy more conformity to him. Pride will be 
bid frorn^ yon. Every high t&oughc will be 
brought down ; grace,.,sovereign grace will reign. 
And the Lord will receive AZ^t, I am sure it la- 
hk doe, 4II the glory. 

Hefe is a wide field before me;bi|tl stop« 
Wbeii you send me word, that you have leamed^^ 
so to manage the weappns of your warfare, as to 
be able to^ maintaine peace in your conscience, 
^d hapinness m your beart> and: victory in your< 
tetnpers and walk, the^ | will take up the subject, . 
where I leave offy and go on with it; In the 
mean time, remember this great truthu God is 
your Fadier ih Jesus.— You know it \xj faitb,-Tr 
yea,-yoq enjoy .the comforts.of it; and; therefore,, 
the end of your walk, is^ not to procure a title to^ 
j0m Father's love, but to makitain the enjoyment; 



letters: i4t 

of k. May the Lord the Spirit make you a hap^ 
py partaker of it every day more abundantly. 

r bear of the goodness <£ our dear Lordta 
, 11 I bless him frotn my heart, for her. 

May she never, want bis rich cordials to comfort 
her soul, as long as she has a body of > mi and 
death to stniggle with. My respects to all that 
family. May God sanctify the present dispensa- 
tion to every one of them. 

My kind love to Mr. ■ ■■ ^ and to Mr. John^ 
and every good wish for that favourite child. He 
grows a fine boy, and says many pretty thingsi^^ 
Take care, my friends, of your hearts, he has 
rather too' much room in themy and all will be. 
welt. 

Recommcnd'me to MK ■ !« ■ ^ , beg him, for 
Jesus's sake, to put up prayers for a cumberer of 
the ground. I ami sore t do not forget him; 
May he never forget me before a throne of graces 

See bow I scribble on;— throw a veil of love 
over all, and believe me to be in bonds, never to 
be broken, tied by the band of Jesus, your friend 
and servant. ^ 

W. R. 



r 



14a KOMAINE'? 



LETTER XXXIV. 



ire DEikJi' nu^iD» 



I 



HAVE many reasons ta remember your be-*^ 
ing last year at Vatb. Among other things, I 
sent you down the jSrsc lesson, vluch the ^eat and 
good Master teaches all bis scholars* I cannot 
Idl, bow well you learned it. But I understand 
he is very kind to you, and is taking a great deal 
of psuns to make you a proficient. Yth sees bow 
dedrous you are of g^ng to heaven, with thi$ and 
the other comfort \r] the way: you are apt to 
ikSSAi^ as I do, that being such an infinitielj^Joving 
Lord, be tnight very well spare it you— -you 
might keq) it, and yet kf ep his love. But' herein 
we form a wr4>]^ judgment oi him. For he does 
aB things well--f ea, he intends to do better for 
you, far better than you can ever imagine. Be 
loves you more than you can possibly love your- 
self; and he will send you nodiing but what is 
for your real and best interest; and he will let you^ 
find jt sor His love is Almighty, and it i& un-. 



J 



LtTTEHS. t43 

' cluiDgeable. What cannot he do --what will he 
not do, when his heart is set itpon blessing his peo- 
ple? It is a common thing with him to bring 
spiritual good out of temporal evil ; he can ex- 
tract pleasure out of pain : yea, he can enrich by 
impoverishing^ and turn losses into gain. Unto 
you it is now given, as a matter of bis choice 
favour, not only u> believe on him, but also to be 
^conformed to him, by bearing his cross. This lie 
;is aiming at. He is going to advance to .great 
honour, and to make you comfcxted on every 
^ide. At this very dme he is training you up for 
Jr. He is now going to confer some of his special 
mercies, some of the greatest blessings he has to 
-give on earth: which he bestows in so certain and 
fixed a way, that I know his mind and will con* 
cerning you, as plainly here in London, as if I 
was with you at , and. you were to tell me 

all your thoughts: for indeed our : Jesus is very 
.<oinmunicative. He keeps nothing from bis 
>friends.->-^^ And ihe Lord said, shall L hide from 
*' Abraham, that thing which I do?'' Src. (Gen. 
. xviii.. 1 7,*ic8j Sr-c.) No. He is of my court, and 
:I will make him of my cabinet: Abraham shall be 
my privy counsellor. And the same Lord has 
raised you and me to the same dignity. Thus 
.i4BUr patent nms :-^*' henceforth I call you not scrv- 



<44 ROMAINE'S 

'' ants ; for the servant knoweth not vhat Fb 
^' l(ord doctb : but I have called you friend«j 
*' tbcreforc all things wWch I have heard of my 
.'f Father,. I have made known unto you/* Our 
divine teacher fstill nuikes known to us what he 
doeth. JSe reveals bis will, and lays open his 
bean, 'And according to what I have discovered 
of it, your second lesson istbk* .Maybe breathe 
-upon it by bis Spiri^ and bless tojrour soul every 
line you read* .0 .that all within you mi^y say, 
from a feding submission to his laving correction 

-Mi-LORO JbSVS ChIUST^ KOT .Mr WI£L, bvt 
THINE BE DONEf 

« 

The second lesson of the CrosS'-^^r ibe exercise of 

fidihin suffering. 

.1. Tbey^thathava their portion in this life, pros* 
per in the world, they increase .in riches, they 
•come into no misfortune like other iblk, neither 
are they plagued like other men* 

2. But V whom the Lord 'lovethbe cbasteneth, 
and scourgetb every son, whom be receivcth. 

'3* He dealetb with them as with sons, having 
chosen them all in the same election of grace, 
^prepared for them the same inheritance, and de- , 
tcreed diat they should go the same way to it. 

4. He will not exempt one of them, no, not 



LETTERS, 14$ 

~Iii^ only begotten son : who went to his crown car^ 
Tying his crdss^ and whom the father did foreknow, 
'Attn he also did predestinate to be conformed to 
the image of his son. 

5. Of this he has graciously forewarned them> 
that they might not tliink it strange concerning 
the fiery trial which is to ti*y them^ as though 
some strange thing had befallen chem : he has al- 

' so promised to be with them when they walk 
through the fire, and they shall not be burned, nei« 
ther shall the flames kindle upon them. And 

6. When they come out of the furnace, they 
shall find many blessed fruits of righteousness, 
which could not have grown, or been ripened by 

-any other means. 

7. Art thou then, O my sool, expecting the 
cross, as thy pcM-tion, prepared to take it up as 
the honourable badge of thy disciplcship, and rca^ 
dy to carry it daily following Jesus? 

8. Canst thou take it up in faithi T$ this the 
right frame of thy heai't? God is my God, my 
Father in Jesus.— -He loves me with an unchange- 
able love, which influences all his dealings with 
me, and especially his present dispensation : ipr 

9. He not oaty loves me with an everlasting 
love,, but he is also now waiting to communicate 
it to me: my present cross is his way and means 

O 



t46 ROMAINB'S 

of bringing it to my heart, and of besto^ving on 
xae some of its richost blessings. 

xo. True,. it. is. painful to the flesh: but the 
flesh fighteth always against the Spirit, and is not 
«ntyect to the law of God, neither indeedcan.be, 
Slid therefore the cross must be laid, and must be 
kept upon it^ in order to weaken its power, and 
also to strengthen the new man, day by day. 

XI. There, is a jieeds must for «the daily cross 
to keep down pride, and to Jn^ing every high 
thought of. SELF into subjection to Christ }esui!, 
that we may be always learning of him, to be 
jTieek and lowly.. 

12. Looking at the cross in- this Hght, as die 
loving appointment of the Father's will, and as 
the means of improving faith in the Son's salva- 
tion, through the grace of the eternal Spirit, bow 
dost thou, P my^ul, find it, when it comes? 

13. How isT' it with thee, when the crpss is upon 
thy back, and thou ait carrying a heavy, painful 
load after Jesus? 

14. Dost thou see Mm before thee, who went 
in the same way, and dost thou honour his pro- 
mises, and rely upon his faithfulness to carry both 
thee and thy cross? 

15. When thou art chastised, and sharply, 
canst thou kiss the rod, and bless the kind hawl 



LETTER'S.' T47 

iMA takes such pjuns to purge out thy corrup- 
tions? 
HS. And when the smart continues from day to 

day, dost thou so far profit from it, as co be able 
to say from thy-very heart-*-FATHER, thy wUl be 
done? Happy man \ ioc then thou art a partaker 

of his holiness. 

. If. When it is the wfll of ^ the Father to qjare 
die child, what profit hasappisarcd, after he has 
reraoved'the cross for a timie I 

1 8. Are therfe any peaceable fruits of righte- 
ousness growing or ripening in the heart? Is there 
more joy and peace in the Sorfs salvation, and 
more happy enjoyment of the Father's love ? 

19. Has the Holy Spirit deadened the life of 
sense, by putting the cross upon iti and thereby 
produced more liveliness to spiritual and to eter- 
nal things? 

ao. Say, is the harvest good and plentiful? 
Do the graces flourish? Have fiiith and patience 
been in exercise, txA improved? Has resignation 
to the Divine will been m practice, and the good 
of sutoaitting to it learned by experience ? 

an Thrice happy soul, to whom the cross is 
thus sanctified : yet a very little while, and faith 
and patience having done their perfect work, the 



14» ROMAINE'S - 

eross vill be no more^ but the crown will be 
for ever. 

My very dear friend, this ia Qiy present kmon y 
and though I am a dull scholar^ yet I: get on a 
little. I wish you may get before me; fcr I am 
told the Master takes great pains with yon : and 1 
believe it, I am very certain you must carry.your. 
cross all the way through tins valley of Baca. 
And what can I wish you better, ttum that you 
may find the rain filliog the pools, and you may 
go from strength to strength.. When, the Lord 
strikes at your comforts,- and mind,, your cross 
grows out of your comforts, O that your heac^ 
may then feel submission, whatever nature £:ds« 
May all within you, gmded afsd strengdiened^ by^ 
grace, be able to say—- Lord take wmf vihm 
thou wUt, only take not away ihe light <^ thj 
loving countenance* When thou removest any 
of ray comforts, let nte not ibrget they w«re 
thwej thy free gift, lent me by thy love, andi 
kc pt long for me, by thy bounty. And now thoa 
art pleased to require them, Lord, make thy will 
niinq and fill up the placfe, which they had in 
my heart, with thy precious love. So be it, Xord 
Jesus» Amen« 



LETTERS. 149 



LETTER XXXV. 



November 13, 1770 



-XT VERT DEiK VRIEHD^ 



S 



liKCE last Thursday I bav€ been 10 your ser-- 
vice; heartily in it. I cahnot charge myself with 
any neglect : and I went on more chearfully, be- 
cause I thought it was my dear Master's work^ 
which made it pleasant. But when I heard the 
living was last night ^ven to a Mr. j judge 

what a bbw this was.^ I felt. exceedingly for you. 
I thought of Afr. ■ and the poor people at 
■ i ■ » deprived of the greatest blessing short 
of heaven. 6 my friend! indeed I was grieved 
sore, and began to complain and murmur—* 
^ Why could not the Lord have ^ven bis, people 
^a pastor after his own heart ^ Would it not have 
^hctn for his glory? Are there not many pre- 
*^'ciou8 souls in and about ' n m ^ who will now 
^want their daily breads' Thus my heart was 

Q z 



hso ROMAINE^S 

grieved; and it went even through my reins: bo- 
foolish was I^ and ign<M*ant: But lam recovered^ 
and got into my right mind. Now, I confess, the 
Lord reigneth. He can make no mistake in hj^ 
government. He does all things well, both for 
his own glory, and for his peoples' good. Mr. 
* s> removal, a poor dead stick in his room, 
the joyful sound heard no more in , the 

mourners going about wringing tfaeir.hands in the 
streets, &c. Src.&c. put as many more com* 
plaints as you please, yet every one of them»diall 
be made to work t^etlier for good^ He.faas..said 
it^. and shall he not do it? yes,. be.w|li do it;, ajfti^ 
you shall know it too«. 1^^ vei7.viskation shall 
be overorukd to bring about 4nany gracious piuv 
poses, perhaps such as these r. 

Fsrs^ a submission to hi$ soTereigH wiil^ tiiat' 
you may say, ai>l is wjxl^ 

Secondly, self«exaauaadoo : were it not for my 
fault, my not voltuttg, not being thankful |br> not 
improving the blessed- gospel, that the Lord has 
removed our candlestic. 

Thirdly^ living upon Jesus more. When the 
streams dry up, then people are forced to go to > 
the fountain-head: so the means failing, lus peo- 
ple must live upcm the Lord of all means* 
. Fourtblya living more upon the word»^ 'iiidK 



y 



tETTETCS. igt 



cannot* be beafdj Messed be Gdcl; ie may be reedt 
prkeit: meditate on it, kyi % neer yoor heart. 
May it-be aa^ 9iree&aa-hoiicy». and* aa precious as 
gpHj je^ aa much fine gold. One angle sermon* 
to a bungrysQKiVwy^beasbieasedias-Cca tbonsand; 
to one-\i4ip has ih» appetite^ 

nftl^ tnisr the Lord for malSngan qpenutg. 
fcit the goapeli evra at '■ r -y in- bit oim way. . 
You cannot see how t^ why dicn that ia*the time to*/ 
^i^)^> V^h be&^ci waSt: B» 

Si»tiAji if the shepherd haa any of' Us flock at 
■ ■ - ^ which I caimoC dota^ then tbey^ cannor 
perish fof lack oTknowfedge. He witteiiiberv 
send'the gospetto tliem> or tbem^ it. 
* Town it is a trying'tlme. If I waa lA your chv> 
eumstances^. I'^shoidd waataU tfaitt can be sidd to^ 
make me think the Lord waa-dokig right) and 
therefore, my dear fiiend, Iwoiddlead you to 
aome comfortable view of Ibia matter.. The bles>^ 
sed God enaUe you to give it up to him, and in.) 
patience to possess your soul; If your private k)sa 
be very distressing, try to divert the grief, mi. 
look at the puUac loss. O what has the church 
suffered in the setting of that bright star which 
had shone so gloriously v in our hemisphere. Mr.. 
Whitfield's preaching is over, now he is praising. 
We have none left to succeed him ^ none <^ bia^ 



»^ ROMAlNirS 

gifb^ none any tbing like hiai in usefiilnefis. Bat^ 
the lame glorious Jesos^ who gave lum to us, bast 
taken him away. If be v«nts anotber such-- ^lie 
can make bim oiM: of a alone.. WeU tben» let us 
submit: letium alone— 4et bim alone. His inte-^ 
reft at ■ , his interest in England is as deart 
to lam, as the apple of Us eye. He inmana^g 
all for die best. May you and L bow the kneo 
and'Sayy.Ti&y JVtU iedone. 

I have no more time but ^ to follow this lette^^ 
with my prayers, that the great bead of the 
church may teach you, practically, what I have 
been mentioning.. And depend upon it, a day 
will come, when you will see this was right. Only;, 
wait: blessed are they that wait for him. Fare«> 
wel^ my good friend, and believe me to be yours, 
i(i tint dearest^ sweetest Jesus* 






•J' »' '-mr- 



LETTERS. I5J 



LETTER XXXVf. 



Ndveoabcra/, 1770. 



XT DEAR MilMV^., 



I 



Htn we are iwfC going co try onr sklR at' 
-tstyittg file things in Che way of coniptimMting: 
I c0oie» narjrsclf wbe a ittalevolait er^Btmc, and 
iiavt no good, and do no good| btftfrofftnaerr 
gttace. Let it have aB the glory, ll is tnie^ 
toy heart is in the affittr of mh^ butlntdtnoc 
tell j&n, at this tkne of day, bow ibiigIiI .anikK 
terestied In the welHuv oPy&aandbf yoiM* At 
present it wears a promiBing aspect. This mem* 
ing I breakfasted with ■ ■ * i ' i ,' They dd 
nor see yon have the least reason co dout^, but in 
a short time Mr. «i.— r wMt be vicdr of •*^«>— •, and 
they said many kind thingsr of you and your (aisiA^ 
1 loRg ftir the day when mf tetter is to be direttjed 
to the Rev. Wt. — -«- of ' ■■ ■ ■. It cdnnoc be 
fiur od^^ if the coummsiraar's ddddatkui b(imr>. 



154 ROMAINE'S 

AsLt they have bad a living vacant every foitnigbr 
and two days* 

Yoo cannol tluok iiow multl! I felt myself 
obliged to Mr. — for bis very kind letter. I 
know be. does not love writings wbicb made it 
mafc acceptaUe. T^beg my ancere respects to 
him. ' Tbe matter must rest as it is^ dll there be 
a vacanty. Tbe Lord ^e you waiting faith. 
It is tbe strongest faith oCall. And you will have 
tbby and ever/tlung needful, if you continue ask- 
ing in that dear name, wUcb cairies all causes in 
tike ciourt of heaven. ■- O keep en praying. I do 
love these meetings o( pray/er. The living of 
-— — was actually given a\iUy^ The presentar 
tion was signed. And yet -^— » cannot ge( ir. 
Yoar prayers have prevailed. If ever there was 
SB answ^ to prayer, this is. O tliat Cod may 
jdake it an encourag^ent/tcl all of you, to pray 
witbodt ceasing. I am sure it has done me good, 
and opened my eyes to see more of tbe glory of 
j^prayer-hearing God. 

Excuse my, going on; my time is not my own. 
I have loitjt 'to the public, dll this book of the 
fViilk of Fidtb come out. It was to have been 
about the aze of the Life of Faith, but it has al- 
ready,; got much larger. My- friends who have 

weak^ wiU not let me abridge it^ but say I mutt 



-add a little morc^ and it will be two small vo- 
kuncs. My dear firicnd^ pray for it. May God 
make it a sweet savour ft£ his adorable name. It 
is a book of many prayers; and is the life and 
character of yours^ in Jesus. 



My wife thanks ^fiss ■■! ' for her polite let- 
ter. The civilities she received were very hearty 
and sincere. As my wife was but poorly all. the 
time they were in town, it is very 'kind in NEss 
I . ■ .1 . to look upon them in so favourable a 
light. 

My love to the ^ Rev. Mr. — — -, I am also 
over-paid by his note. So we need say no more 
of that. I desire t0 share in Us prayers; and do 
very particularly beg him to ask for a blessing up- ^ 
on my little books : they have been very much 
blessed to the author; may the same blessing at- 
tend all diat read them. Mr. — — . is in my 
>prayers. My. love to Miss ■ . I desire to 

he remembered to Mr. John, and to all the 
My blessing on that dear boy. God .bless.bim. 



ii.6 ROHAINE'S 



iETTER XXXVII. 



'December 13, 1770. 



~iC7 Dear rmttam, 



I 



HAVE been cSmngJOf rof thanks and prase 
to the lorag head of the chcHrdi for brin^sg tl»8 
matter to a happy issue. * Glory beto Una^ lus 
delays were not denials. He only waMcd .vts to 
cake it from his hands^ as his gift, iSid l;^refore 
he kdd difficukies in the way. -When fakh was 
triedi he removed them. Eveiy thi&g is at last 
ended favourably. ^Tlie presentation' is. sealed^ 
and is safe in my study: altboogh I have been 
more than a kittle hurt bjr da&dng attendance 
here and there, yet now I seem ready to do a 
thousand times more to oblige such dear friends. 
You have it in your power to rewsurd me a tiious- 
and fold. Lay out your thanks in prayers for me 
and mine, and especially for my little book, which 
4$ swelled now into two vokimes, It is a child of 



LETTERS. 10 

nuatiy prayers. I scarcely ever sit down to write, 
^without asking a blessing vSfon every line. Beg it 
may come out with the unction of the Spirit^ and 
carry, wbercrer it goes, a sweet savour of the 
precious name of my Lord, and my GodL 

I would rejoice with — «^, and inform him, 
^that he must not fail to write a short letter of 
thanks to^ my Lord ■ ■ « ■ ■ , expressing his grc^ 
oUigations to him for keeping the living of — — ^ 

vacant, till the Rev. Mr*- was provided 

for, acknowledging how much he is beholden to 
him ; and desiring to e<;pre8s it on all occasions. 
'I mentioned in my letter of yesterday, the neces- 
sity of writing to my Lord — *— — — 

My kind love to my dear brother^ the vicar of 
•, I wish he may lie low in die dust, as 



unworthy, utterly unworthy, of this great trust 
committed to him. But there is grace sufHcieiTt 
, in Jesus; I wish he may live on that, and do all 
hi his parish in a settled dtfpendence on the assist- 
ance of the great head of all the church. 

My prayer is for the family of the ■ ■ ■ , that this 
.may be a favourable providence for them all ; may 
the Miss — — enjoy present and eternal salvation 

-by means of it. But why do I leave out Mr. ? 

Why itideed! may bis heart lfa^> for joy at the 
good news out of Mr. — — .'s mouth, and cliit 

P 



«8 ROMAINE^S 

dren yet unborn bless God for this happy event. 
My dear Miss — — will be among the foremos(4 
O let him have bis glory ! pray^ let there be a 
public thanksgiving. If I was at m-^-^, I would 
preach on the occaaon» and recommend praise to 
a prayer-answering ^God. I wish you a warm 
Christmas^ warm hearts ; I am sure they ought to 
to be so : and may you and yours rejoice in the 
glad tidings of the birth of our dearest Immanuel* 
Continue your prayers for your servant in Jesus. 

The Lord ke^p Mr* •«--^, and be bis Jesus in 
the evening of his life, and his strength in age, 
^nd his comfort in weakness. So prays 



^ETT£«:s. t59 



letter; xxxvin: 



Black Friars^ Dice, ^y, iTfa. 



Jti D:EAR TRlMXtb, 



H. 



,AviKG an opporttinity of sending a fine 
in "Mr. -*— ' firank, wbkb I had out of Mr. WUt- 
fields sludy ;— I coutd not help wishing you a hap- 
py new year ; happy in Jcsut ; happy in growing 
intknacy widi him. I have enjoyed a little of it, 
and it is indeed heaven upon earth. O for njore 
of it at -«*— in seventy-one, than ever before. 

Acquaint dear Mr. , that at hst^ with 

^eat difficulty^ I have settled bis afiaor. Cbrist- 
mas is casting up time with booksellers. The 
whole of what I have paid is only a small sum. 

Expect peace only a little while, jrou see, lest 
you should be lifted up above measure, thorns 
grow with roses. One, two, three trials, come 
iaIcKig: with the good news of success about ■ * * 
I^is not your rest. Thank God it is not. You 



i6o ROMAINE^S 

are not at home. Get ready to go, when your 
Father calls for you. Some body must follow Miss 
' > Wlo can telt but Crod, whether it be 
you, or some of her sisters — ■ . O be pre- 

pared.— -The door is open, step into the ark. 
There death cmi^ hMPi or. finghten. St. Dun* 
Stan calls !— 4areweL Bles^gs on you and yours. 
Thank Mr. _^-,for att his kind expresuons. I' 
gave them their value. . fiwy for yaiu:!S in Jesus. 

W. Rv 



L£TT£R XXSdX. 



MdDcbSOf i77ii^ 



MT DEAR VRISKD, 



A- 



jLTHOUGH I have but time to write ajiacj, 
yet I eouki no longer forbear acknowledging your 
favour. My whole time has been employed dua 



LETTERS- i6i 

Lent with preaching and printing. My first vo- 
lume IS finished^ and I hope to send you one by 

Mr. — , who is in town. The report you 

heard of my mother's death is true : she is gone 
a little before, and I shaQ soon follow. The 
goodness of God to her was very great> all heir 
fife, was extraordinary to the moment of her 
death: so that we sorrow rejoicing. I really 
thank you for interesting. yoorsetf in any of my 
concerns. As to my usual summer journey one 
great motive has ceased. I can say nothing at 
diis distance of time. I leave the Lord to plan 
for me : and I wish to follow no will, but his. 
Where I shall go next summer I have not so mucji 
as a bint j(st. 

My kind love to your vicar, I hear good of him. 
The Lord bless him in all his designs for the glory 
of Jesus. I derire to be remembered by you all 
in your prayers. Every good wish I heartily offer 
% Mr. ■ I am yours in Jesus. 

W. R.^ 



Ha:: 



i62 ROMAINE'S 



LETTER XL. 



Angus ao, 1771- 



XT TXRT. DKAR rftlBRO, 



I 



HAVE sent you/ in a parcel ArcctcdTto yemrr 
brotber v tlnrcc voltunes of die second 

part of tbe JVM of Fahh n» before, usbouBd^. 
with one set bound for jrourself, another for Mkis - 

^f a third for the Rev. Mr. ■ , ttiey 

oome to ■ '■ wkh many prayers. I have 
jM-ayed it over in wridiig; and I am ddily beg^ng: 
theiree giver of every good and perfect ^ft, that 
he would go out with k^ and own k to the hearts 
of bb dear people. My design in writing tfaei 
book was for bis glory, and their good. The - 
plan is dinple:-— it was to shew/ that christian 
principles are sufficient for all the purposes of 
christiaiT practice; so that whenevo: we fail in 
practice, we have first failed in principle. How.^ 
should it be otherwise? Since tbe principles, ace- 



( 



BETTERS.. 163 

HiGHTTTBROiTGR Got>f^Actamt grace, vhidi 
teaches diem, a» the truth of Cod, gives also the 
experience of them, as the power of God. If^ 
iherefore, peace rules the conscience^ and love in 
die heart, the eSisxt will follow, as light does, 
when the sun is risen*. Hiere will be a depend- 
ence on Che promised power of God to ddy and to 
suffer bis wiU;,; and this power wiR as certainly be 
put fbrtt^ as God is true$ so long as peace and 
love are maintsuncd. Try yourself^ Observe nar* . 
rowly, how it is that you £ul in^practke; and you 
will always see your faith gave way, and' you 
were not living up Co your privileges. I know 
not bow I have succeeded, in desaribing this grand^^ 
mistake in die christian walk, or in rectt^ng it) 
but tins I know well, that the salvation of Jesus, , 
i» absolutely, infinitely, everlastingly perfect in 
every- part, and at the very given moment, and 
the belief of it wilt prodace an even, holy, happy 
walk, and if this belief was ^per&ct, (as it should .. 
be,) an enjoyment of this salvation would be upon 
earth, what it is in heaven. I pray ^^od to carry « 
you and me on ftom faith to faith, that we may 
daily bring greater honour to his word, and to 
his work. 

If my li^iti or love, or joy, warm your heart 
in. reading, remember me. My trials, are very^? 



Edf RO MAUD'S 

great: I have the old burden, very heavy indeed 
•«-a vast body of sin, tinder which I groan> and 
great bodily pain, hard to bear. I have been ta 
the $ea for relief: but tny Lord thinks proper tor 
refuse it. When I had other trials, he spared me 
and never let me know what bodily pain was; but 
now outward trials are in a great measure remov- 
«d; this is my cross*. He is merciful in all his 
dealings : blessings on him for his kind rod I you 
will find in the second volume, a chapter <m the 
outward cross, and another on the inward; they- 
are the longest chapters, because I felt what I 
wrote, and because all God's children carry these 
Iwo crosses to the grave. I beg your attention to 
the inward cross, and when you have read the 
chapter, be so good as to tell me bona you live it. 
To manage it well, is the greatest ksson in the 
school of Qirist: O that he may teach you as yoa 
read, and be your prophet to enabk you to live 
upon turn as your priest. 

Many years ago I cbAe my motto^-^EASB rz. 
iROM HAN.-— You see. how needful it is. Place^ 
your happiness on any^ things bul^ the heavenly 
lover, it makes itself wii^ and flies away. How 
many sweet hours, (the remembrance is sweet) 
teive I spent at •—»«-? yearly v?$its, pleasing and^i 
^roStabk^but I am debarred this enjoymci^ti' r. 



tXTTEIC& i$s 

most learn my motto in afi instance of bard self- 
denial. Happy for you and for me^. if every, such 
disappointment lead us nearer to God. I beg 
your dailf remrinbrance» n* you arc mine, — ^Evcry 
good vrish to IVKss — -i^ and dcsire her. accepts 
ance of a bound set. My kind respects to Mr.^ 
■ i» I wisbMr. J ——may walk i)^ith us in our 
way^ and all bis sisters. I wisb that little dear 
boy^.does not get some of Cbrist^s place in your 
heart: God bless him, and make him a comfort 
to you. Write my motto upon hi&^ forehead^ and 
remember it^ whenever you look at him.. My 
love to Mr. ■■■■■■ ■ . May evex^ blessing of the 
everlasting covenant be yours on earth and hea- 
ven» 80 prays yours in Jesus. 

W. R. 



t6$ R0MAIN£'S 



LETTER XLT; 



FcbruAy tjji. 



M 



T dear friend has been tliinking*^^' well I 
euidd not have expected sUch neglect ; a letter 
sent in Ottober^ aiid not answered in January, I 
am aurprised, what can be the meaning of it ?* 
1 answer to my shame> that I am grown very 
haifi and good for ifiothtB^ It is h%h time I was 
dismissed from the vine}prd^ and any other master 
but mine would have had nothing^ to do with me 
long ago. ' iMcannot but loath myself, and stand 
wondering dsuly^at his kindness. Never was self 
lower, and his loveliness higher than in this new 
year. Worthless as I am beyond all conception, 
yet he began the year with vouchsafing me some 
delightful Pisgah views. You must know it has 
been a custom with me, for many years, to have 
' a sermon on the New Year's day, and to have the 
text a sort oi watch-word^ somethmg very short 



I 

^<aiid striking, and which may serve the believers U|/ 
feast upon atwelvemonth* I have found this very 
iiseful to myself, and so have others. Our text 
for 177a was, Christ jft all. I send you some 
remarks, believing you will have fellowship with 
lis in diem, as you certainly have in diat adorable 

.fenan of whom.they treat. ^ 

Christ has all th^. fulness of 6alvati<xi in him, as 
GocUman; and he has.it to the glory of the Fa- 
ther, and of the eternal Spirit :. .for it pleased the 
Father, that in him should all fuhiess dwell, as ia 
the Jiead for the use of his members. And it 
pleased the Holy i^irit to testify of his fulness in 
ihe scripture, and it pleases him by his grace to 
Hiring believers to use it, and to live upon it : and 
then they are truly converted. All other expe- 
rience is not worth one farthing. The great work 
of the Holy Ghost is to pull down Self, and to 
exalt CiiiusT. Tlus he does effectually, and this 
he has donein you. Think, what your debt is ; 
try to cast it up-^ and send me the sum total. 
Say, how much do you owe to the Holy Spirit for 
enlightening your understanding, and convincing 
.you, that Christ is the one sun of the i^iritud 
world. What a most blessed change has he 
-wrought upon your mind! He has stripped you of 
the knowledge, that.ppffctb up, and has sent you 



t6t ROMAINE'S 

to Christy and to none but Christ, to be taught flie 
Ibkigs of God. He bas brougbt jou tmmUed to 
Ac Saviours feet, where you are sitting among his 
lowest schollarsy (and that is the best place] to hear 
^his words. Thus he has glorified your dinoe 
^ prophet in yon ; and in the matter df teaching, be 
iias made Christ your all. The bible, and nuo- 
:isters, and means^bave now got their right place; 
they are subservient to .Christ's teaching. He ia 
exalted by your use of tbem^ ibr you do not go to 
them, but to him in them, to receive lesson upon 
lesson, and Kne upon line. Thus may you and I 
be found waiting upoo-^our great Loid and Master 
through the ^ear seventy-two. And when we 
:thii8 put honour upon':his office, «nd give glory to 
his teaching, we may expect to learn much of 
him : he will enlarge ouf faculties to know move 
of the woiiders of his grace : and he will enable 
you to enjoy more of the heavenly sweetness of 
his precious love. Yes, Lord, we have great ex- 
pectations from thee : diou canst teach us far 
more than we have yet learned. O make us. eve* 
ry day humbler scholars, that jwhateyer we learn, 
the praise of it may be thine, and our growth in 
saving knowledge may add to thy fame and re- 
nown. 
Methinks, I hear you ask— ^^But how shall I 



LETTERS. 169 

^t^luiow for certain, that I am one of Christ's 
'"*^ scfaobrs> and that be has indeed taken me into 
h]3 tuition and teaching?" My dear friend, you 
are to know % from -what you have learned of 
hioK You cannot be certain of it any other way. 
He would have you to look at bis revealed truth, 
and to try yourself by it. Has not be made you 
wise in it unto salvation I O do, pray do, ac- 
knowledge what he has done for your soul. 
When you were sensible of your fallen state, in 
which you inherit a corrupt nature, and felt, that 
In it you coUld do nothing, but sin — ^when guilt 
was'in your conscience, and fear was in your heart, 
what was it Which brought you relief? To what 
did you look for pardon, and from whence did 
jyou ei&pect peace ^th Cod? Your answer will 

shew, whether you are Christ's Krholar, 9.1^'^ how 
far you have advanced in his schobk 

I can make yoor reply {for I ktfS^e lieard you 
say as much) "Why, to be sore, I have no hope, 
" but in that offering, whkh pbwecteth for 
''ever, a«d in that' righteousness, which justifi- 
"cth from all things. This is my salvation — 
Hiis, and nothing elsc-^HRxsT xs ALt. — ^I t%^ 
pect no pardon, but in bis blpod-^no justifica- 
tion, but in bb obedience-^^o safety, but in his 






170 , ROMAINE'A 

'^ keeping me-- no happiness, but in his Iove«-4io 
'<heaven, but in die enjoyment of Immabuel/^ 

Very well, this is a good confes»on. But who 
taught it you ? Was it not Jesus ? He who alone 
teacheth man saving knowledge. Has not - he 
opened your eyes- to see, and your heairt to receive 
those most blessed truths? Yes he has. And do 
you praise him as he deserves? O no. A thou^t 
<^en comes into yoor bead, << If I have learned 
<' thbse things of Ctoist, how can it be that I am 
*'so little, and so seldom comfcx-ted by them-: 
'* they are full of all consolation, and I am some- 
^ times quite empty: how can thisbe?'* I ^U 
tell you, my good-friend. The very same* thought 
comes into my head, and plagues me; but*I.g«t 
tbe-better of it. Consider where- it is written-^ 
He that sis aomforted sh/tU be smjed. ;Ydu are call- 
ed upon to trust the work of -Klbrist, fmd^o 4rU9t 
it'fer yourself upon the word of Christ. His work 
is your whole salvation : his word, and nothing 
in yourself. (Here I should stop» This is the end 
,of my paper. But I cannot get done — ^you miwt 
let me finish my sentence, although it be to your 
cpst. — ^Well, you will for^ve me, I hope, and 
therefore ,1 proceed)— -His word, and npthing m 
yourself, iSetP be your law&l war>rantto<aU this 
salvation your own^ and to i^ it for yodr own. 



iiETTERS; m 

Rest bt^e, giving credit to the firee promise of sal* 
variixi to all tliat v^l receive it; and I will lay my 
life of it, you will not want comfort long. You 
will have God's fiaidifulness for your security, that 
you are a saved sinner, and the belief of this can- 
not but bring pea^e and joy into your heart* Ac- 
cording to your faith, so will your comfort be^ 
But if you rest not here, get comfort where you 
will, it will not be true, it cannot be lasting.^— 
Kot true: because all comfort dwells in Christ; 
every clung dse is emptiness and vanity. — ^Not. 
bating: because frames, feelings, habits, graces, 
yojSf &c. ^fc* ebb and flow. Only Christ aUdeth 
Ae same for ever, and only his unchangeable 
word can fix your comfort* Trust it. Make it 
|[6ur constant warrant to go to Christ for comfort, 
and he cannot deny his word :. according to your 
faith, so will he ^ye unto yqus - 

Do no; tliink, my good fi^iend, I would have 
you to walk' nAouming and melancholy. No. 
There is nothing in Christ to make you so^^ He 
4s all light, and life, and love, and joy, and that 
without cea^g-^an infinite and everlasting fill- 
|tess of all blessing^. I would lead you to, him in 
the direct road, which is to lead you out of self 
entirely. ^ Christ is the^ way-^look more at him, 
and less at self— ^ust more to him, and less to 



174 ROMAIKE'S 

your fakb or comfbrt9--4ive upon notbfiiig iiv:. 
yourself, but live every moment upon Mm— do 
not eye bis gifts so mucb> fix your heart upon the 
giver — be* always thinking of bis fuhiess, whenv. 
ever yon feel your own emptiness-«^hatever yoli 
are, or do, oc sofifer, tet all ttungs bring you to 
make (forgive me^ I must go 'on, I take up an-^ 
other half-sheet, and^ I beseech you again and' 
again, let all things bring you to make) use of 
Christ. Read about Mm. Go to your doset to 
converse with bim. €o to church to meet Inm. 
Make bim your companion. Accustom your 
mind to meditate upon him. Pray without ceas«^ 
ing to him as your bosom friend. Do not be Ay 
of him-*4ie bates shyness. Dfavr near^ be bids . 
you come with bddness, vile^ uatbankfol) unpro- 
fitable, as you are : his dear heart is always open- 
to hear yc^r complaints,, and to relieve your disk- 
tresses, be they vrfiat they witK Remember he 
is the 8un of otir world, and you cannot be tbu^ 
always in hb presence, withiHit being enlightened: 
by his rays, and cherished wUh his warm beanas.;. 
When any are very cold within doors, and see tbe 
sun shining sweetly, they. do> not use to ask. Is it 
my sun? May I go out to walk in this mxHi-dajr 
brightness, and get myself warm in thid delight 
iul sun-shine i Is it £oc me I Yes^. make u&e, o^ 



LETTERS. 173 

1^ who will; it shines for you ; Christ is as fireeljr 
jroarsi as tibsX suQ*^ioe« You may walk in liis 
fig^, and enjoy hi» comforts. You may take 
bim for your righseousness^ and your lioliness; 
you tasy live <m him^ for grace and glory. He 
is. your8,-*-and all be has is yours also, for your 
use to*day> and for ever. 

Thus yoa seei my good friend, how we intend 
to live in London through the year one thousand 
seven, hundred and seventy-two. CmitsT is our 
▲LX., not only in our tide to Ovation, but also in 
our present enjoyment of its blessings^. We ex^ 
pect a great income, and all from Christ* Our 
fiii^ in him is not an emp!ty notion, (as the world 
thinks,) but it is a reaUty. Christ is the substance ; 
all besides is shadow : and by fiuth we now- tako 
possession pf the substance. We Kve by him,>and 
we live 00 bim. We wed envy nobody. . What 
are prix^es to us?. our: estate is vasdy.bqfond 
theirs;; the inheritance is suse;- the ricihes un* 
searchable;. and,: the income— -Aas and have; 
9Xid that increasing . throu^ eternity. O Messed^ 
most blessed inheritance. The prospect is not 
Uke Moses'... He only saw the country, but we 
IP over Jordan. We, who have believed, do en- 
ter into rest. We are li^dug in the land which 
fldwrtb with milk and hq^|^, which is the gbry 



1J4 RO MAINE'S 

of all lands. An heir of this country may live iit 
the present' cottage at ■> * , and yet be richer 
than the king. If he live this year, as he should 
do, by the faith of the Son of Gbd, vbat are the- 
riches of emperors compared to bis? He tan 
look into his title-deeds, and there read two 
clauses, which make him rich, ever beyond con* 

C^ion. ALL THINGS ARE YOURS<p->AND YOURa^ 
lOR EV^R. 

Iknowwha^ you will think, ds weH as If I 
heard you tell me your thoughts^ I am acquaint- 
ed with the vile suggestions (^ the enemy. He 
may tempt you to doubt of these truths,"^ on ac* 
count of 3rour having still so many wants. But,, 
my friend, the more the better* We should glory 
in our wants.. They make us rich: for we can 
want notliing, but it is in Cbrist^s fulness, and laid' 
up there for us. This> makes way for a constant, 
intetcourse between you and Glirist, and keeps 
up ia holy friendship, in giving and receiving. By 
this means a sweet familiarity will be maintained^ 
and a growing intimacy, cherished. Christ re*^ 
quires you would be free with him, and drav7> 
largely upon hiis bank* Every moment- you want 
something. Christ says, *< here k is; come to me 
*^for it. I can deny you nothing.'* O go to lum- 
«t bis Udding, and pt honour upon bi& love.. 



LETTERS. 17$, 

Tour many, your grcatwant8> will only give him 
an occasion to shew bow mucti he loveth you. He 
has for you bowels of the tenderest compassion- 
He feels for you more than you can think. Blessed' 
is that want, looE at it by faith, and you will find; 
it so, which brings you to Christ for a supply;^ 

Do'you want Temk)RAls— read my Grants 
Matt. vi. ja. or Spihituals— trust ray Pfombe,, 
Eph. i. 3^. or Eternals— -look at my Gift in-. 
Rom. vi. 2^, and be assured I will withhold, fronis 
you nd manner of dung that is good. Stand upoR^ 
this ground; and' here survey jFour wants : be they- 
what they will, trust Christ for a supply* Live 
like a christian, by the faith o£ the Son of God^. 
for temporals, spirituals, land etemabr thiah h- 
living. This is holy Hving.: for you cannot be 
thus receiving every moment out of Christ's ful- 
ness, but you must feel some latitude to your 
divine friend, and a growing willingness to bei& 
debtor for grace, and to be one of his penaoners 
fbr glory* This is high living. Eor then has the 
holy Spirit tuagnified Jesus in you upon earthy 
when you make him A£l and in ali.; and thea 
has he given you the certain earnest^ that he wilt 
bring you to heaven, where you will fiod Jesas^ 
jt-LL^ and in aiiL, for ever and ever. 

This^ is a little touch of our new year's giff^ 



1,7^ , ROMAINE'S 

Fray tell Mss n . n .^ it is^ our standiQg dish for 
1772: I wish ber a good.stoma£l> to featt on it 
inth ii8» It is food and physic: I know sh0 
fikes ii. And I. do not dovbc^ but in a very little 
time, she and I. shall sit down at the king's own 
table, and feast with him and on him, and bless 
him, as long as we have our being. JPray tell 
them at next door, Christ is all ; and tell my 
dear little vicar, to whom my heart is knit, to 
exalt Christ-«up with him; Mr, ■ ■ » come, 
try ; up with him a littl^ higher. Pray, and {preach, 
and live; that Christ be exalted. GodUeaa the 
lifting up of Christ in the pulpit* Amen^ 
There is nothing I wish myself of good, .but 1 

wish it to Mr. u ■ . i ■. I really Jove my ■ ■ .■>>. 

friend^ and often think, of that precious child. 
P Lord keep him. Jesus save him. May deatb^ 
never part mother and son. I wish .my prayers* 
may be heard for him. His portion with us is. 
worth a thousand; May be find, with us, Christ 



E.ETTERS. i7Zc 



LETTER XLH. 



Slack Friars, May 6, tyj^^ 



XT VERT. OSAR IRIEND, 



I 



.NDESO you serve me right : it is good to set^ 
tie an even account, vndi me. I was so many 
months in writing ; so wiE you be, to a day. 
This is rather too hard and strict a way of learn- 
ing me to write oftener. I could^have wished: 
ycfu to wxite ag^in and again^ and so set me an. 
example of what F ought to do. But I submit to- 
your judgment, and stand corrected in your 
own way. 

Hearing' of W&r. * % comings to town, I 

did think of some little note : such as* ^-^e are 
^ much hurried, time taken up greatly. So many 
^ interruptions,, that when I have purposed to sit 
^ down to ask my good fricndi how be does> E 
^am called away.*' 



•Nochkig came ; howeveri I am resolved to ' 
grow better. My acquaiatances are sciil upon my^ 
xnindo&d heart. Distance of time and place have 
made no change; I love them intbe Lord, atid^ 
for the Lord's sake. O he is kmd to ypu. How 
many singular blessings have you! how highly 
' fovoured m temporals ! try^* to number them, if 
you can. How most highly favoured in spiritu*^ 
als! which are inestimable and eternal bles^gs. 
I feel thankfulness for ypu, . and pray, for the con- 
tinuance of all your mercies, with a growing 
sense of your unworthiness of the least of them. 
JSlr. .^....1.^ presses me much to say^ that I witt 
come into the north this summer : but I cannot 
. answer him directly. - If I do, it will not be witht- 
out spending some time at your house. Remcmo^ 
ber in your prayers, a friend to you. . 



tBTTERS. 179 



BETTER XUH. 



iNovcmbcr 23, 1773 



•XI. 8 Ihave not been^ permitted to talk to you 
face to face this summer, why diooM i liot con- 
verse with you in another way?- I think k right 
tatdlyou my present feelings, aiid how I stand 
^(fiected towards you. *1 believe that all the true 
love in the-world comes trom the infinite fulness 
of Jesus* 'It {las 110 other source: and he* has 
(eternal Uesdngs on himi) wanned my cold heart 
with fire of his precious love. I feel a ray ef it 
drawing my affections ^to my dear friend. Its 
sweet influence is from above: its origin is divine: 
it Is, indeed, of heavenly extraction and birth. 
No Thanks ^a me that it partakes of some of the 
gracious propeilies /Of the fountain fi-om whence 
it^springs: for some «iof Aem it ha% my con* 



*8o ROMAINE'S 

Science bearing me witness. And these^ I confhss^ 
are not natives of my own soil> nor, being planted 
in itj am I able to make them grow and flourisb. 
O no! the God of all grace is the free giver: he 
*^is the mighty contmuer : without him, they would 
have never been : without him, they would hav« 
^ied at their birth^ and gone out, like a ^park in 
the ocean. But I do reaUy find some of the im- 
age and likeness of my loving Lord upon my 
iieart, and that towards you. There can be no 
^true friendship without a union di spirit. In oiv 
der to be pure and stedfasr, it must be refined 
'from selfish views and carnal motives: it must 
spring firom BO outward attachment, but from a 
-real agreement and harmony of souU sudi js the 
imture of christian friendship. It is beyond aH 
Plato's rules, and SenacsCs morals-: tb^y bad no 
idea of it. Reason, the most refi»^, could ne- 
ver understand our doctrine. He that is joined to 
^tfae Lord is oke spirit ; a most wonderfql unions 
4)ig with blessings^teinporal asd eternal; Among 
its temporal blessings, at is not the least, that be 
reforms the heart, and makes it loving, like bis 
own; capable of receiving his heavenly friendship^ 
and capable of shewing it to his praise, by espe« 
»ckil love to his brethren aud our brethren. 

In whatever view I am considering our divine 



LETTERS. i«« 

'%€t)d| tbere is always aometlttng which ^ves him, 
and most justly, the pre-eminence. He is, and 
will be ibr ever, the most blessed head, which 
x:ommunicates Hfe, and breath, and all things, to 
every member. In the character now before us^ 
tD how exalted, how glorious is he ! yes, he is 
beyond all blessing and praise, for being a pres- 
ent Saviour to Iiis^people, as he mightily delivers 
them from the tyranny of their vile tempters, and 
renders them happy in one another. It is from 
his grace that they put cm as the elect of God, holy 
and beloved, bowels of merdes, kindness, hum- 
hleness of mind, meekness, Stc. Re plants those 
virtues in the heart ; he waters them with the rain 
of heaven; he shines upon them; and he makes 
them flourish in spite of all the opposition of self- 
ish pasrions and inbred lusts : indeed^-*--^, he docs* 
There are persons in the world, who are infinitely 
indebted to Jesus Christ, for that brotherly love, 
which is the bond of perfcctness, and who, in 
some measure, walk in love according to his teach* 
ing. But they mourn, I know they do, because 
they find so little gratitude to him, ^d so little 
conformity to his example. Yet some likeness 
thcr £5, and they are striving every day for more ; 
still setting out afresh, not content with any past 
attainment, they study both to love him morct and 

R 



^ iSa ROMAINE'S 

to draw more virtue from him> that they may4ove 
others, as Christ also loved them. 

Methinks I see one of his deciples warm and ea- 
ger io this pursuit. I stop him, and ask, Sir, 
upon what principle is it that your heart is so set 
upon bemg like Qhxist : you are quite unwearied 
in having your qwn hateful tenipers subdued, and 
in putt^g qn the sweet dispositions of the meek 
and Iqwly Jesus ? 

His ansyreTj I am sure, would be — ^ The love 
f ' of Christ .constraineth me : O how I feel the 
'^ blessed effect of being on6 with vnj Lord l*-* 
" He has tauglit me ^n my veij hea^ to Ipve ^God, 
f^ and man for God's sake : to this dearest Jesus I 
*^ am indebted for vny paradise restored ; and I 
** am never happier than when I am sensible of 
J^ my vast debt : for then I love him best, and am 
^^ most enal^led to . manifest it to men. Beyond 
" description, beyond conception of any, yea aU 
" the glorified. saints, is the love of Inani^uel to 
<< my.soul: it is like himself, infinite and, boundless; 
"it is quite free, given to the pnworthiest and to 
*' the most ur;hankful.: a j)erfect love, nothing 
** but lov^,^i^h as excludes ajl shyness and cold- 
*^ ness, prevents misconstrnctiDns and quarrels, yc*a 
". removes the very cause and^ gi'ound of them. A 
" communicative lovp, must generously bestowing 
"a right and title to all blcssjngsnpon the beloved : 



LETtfiRS. it3 

^^ for ihus the grant of the great charter runs : axl 
^ mine arc thine — and, to cro\frn the whole, it is a 
^' lasting love; yea evcrla^ing, reaching from 
^ eternity to eternity. Tlie more I study and ex- 
*« perience of this heavenly love, the more I find 
•* my heart affected with it, smd the more I wish 
''that all my friendships may reflect sbme image 
^oir and bring some glory to, the friendship of 
** niy Jesus.** 

Having read this passage over carefully, I can^ 
if called upon, set my band and seal to it* All this 
I know to be true. W. R. Some little spark of 
this holy flame (but though little, inestimable) has 
long ago thawed my frozen heart, and has kep^ 
a warmth of ai&ction in it whicfi he that kindled 
often hears of in prayer and praise for you, and of 
which they who know you, and come in my way, 
hear also. Some kind providence will, I doubt 
not, ere long,- let yoii bear it with your own ears. 
With pleasing hope, I look forward to a present, 
because I am sure of a future, meeting, which will 
never end. Our frietd^ip- will run coeval with 
our being : it is a union formed by the divine 
hand of Jesus, who has won our hearts and made 
them one in himself, in a bond, which he will not, 
and none else can break t so that we may sifig,- in 
humble confidtnce, all* our way to Sion-*^ 



1^4 ROMAINE^ 

11i« tore dtriM 
S'^/' TliU nuuU M thine 

Shall keep os thine for ever. 

Tell %fr.«-i-»he is in mydebt^ and I wish bm to 
get out of it ; but he must pray a good deal Sat 
me before he does ; so must you* Pray the more 
for me. Mfs. Romaioe joins in alU 

W- R; 



UETTER XUV^ 



G, 



'ra€£ and" peaice be abi»idaQtIy snuUpIied' 
to my dear friend from the Lord Cbrut: may-^ 
wbom die loves partake of his love. I have been 
kept from writing to jou, and. acknowlei^aig 
your m2U3y fevcairs to tne^ and to mine^ by my 
Master's bu^ness. As soon as I came bome> I was 
invited to preach id ftickbigbamAire, where we 
have bad the Lord with us of a truth. Oh what 
am I^ th^ my eyes should see such, things as I seei 



LETTERS. 185 

r> who. am tfie very filthiest dunghill-sinner, that 
ever God suffered to five ; that I, even 1, should 
partake of his grace, as well as preach it : oh, it is 
astonishing ! Surely if ever I get to heaven, (and 
Ij must not doubt' of getting thither) I shall beat 
Mary Magdalen, and' Paul, and P^ter^ and Ma- 
nasseb, all to nothing. They bad not half to par- 
don that I hate : and yet, glory, glory, glory be 
to Jesus, I am among his pardoned OKEi. Who, 
then, shall sing Us praise ifi such a high note as I 
can ? None, no not one of them all. I am the 
most indebted tajrde gra«a of all that ever were 
aaved out of hell. May my experience tend to 
the strengthening of your faith I 

■1 " I I, I ^ you almost overcome me with kind- 
ness. I shall be afraid to call and see you, lest you 
make me proud : for what have I good in met 
Nothings ^^t gpoddo li' None at all; What- 
ever good is in man, whatever good & done upon 
earth, the Lord doeth it himself. Down, then, 
with man : lay low his lofty looks, and up with 
Christ. Exalt him; too high we cannot raise 
him, too low We cannot humble the sinner. I' 
would have you>' therefore, not to look at me, 
but at my precious, dear Master : look onto him, 
and you shall be saved. Look unto me for any 
tiling^ and you shall infallibly be disappointed.. 



186 i^OMAINE'S: 

Present mjr beany love, in tbe bowels of 

Jesusy to your sister » I find gredt fellow*- 

ship with her, as a member of tbe satne body, 
and actuated by tbe same spirkt andtett ber, from 
me, ihat she cannot make too much we of Christ. 
Tbe more sbe uses bim in all things, tbe happier 
wiUsbebe* To this lean set my seal Frobor 
turn, est » 

I £ul not to remember Mr. ■ i ■ ,, i> when I 
am near, and' have freedom with my precious 
IMaster* May you never want Ms presence ! My. 
wife jcnns in thank^ and is, with mc^.yours in tbe 
Lord j€SU8« 



LETTEBJS. 187 



EETTER XLV; 



October a8, 1775; 



MT IKBAR tHJXSDy 



H 



▲ysHO an opportunity of sending my haar-- 
ty love to yott by^Mr. » I could riot avoid 

embracing it. Tou are often on my mind and 
in my prayers. Really^ my dear friend, you are 
one of them by whom I find the truth of what I 
believe concerning the communion of: saints, t 
experience It in its coaofert ; for I fed with you, . 
rejoicing in your joys,, and taking port in your 
sorrows. I have a good, account of. your health, 
a great bles^g: mdy it continue! And of your- 
spiritual health, which is a greater ^^ may that in- 
crease! and it will, as you Kve more i>/, on, and ^ 
to Christ Jesus; comingrdaily as a poor sinner,., 
to live on a rich Saviour. This is the great secret 
of die gospeU. Nothing should kee^ you frota* 



tS9 RdMAINE'S 

Ghrist. However you feel, vhatever you have- 
done, at all times, in all places and firames, go, to 
Jesus. I have been at this lesson a great vrbile, 
and: tliough very.- dull and stupid, yet, through 
marvellous grace, I have learned, something. 
When things go well, we are apt to rest in them : 
I do not. My Jf8U6> makes them well; I thank 
him, and rest in him, and not in Ins gifts : I en- . 
joy him inthem;.«an<fwheu things go badly, in- 
ward ; or outward, I vrmld nfyt stay from him to 
complain or murmur one moment ; but, rejecting 
myself entirely, take him for my whole compete 
hap^ness. Let tlMngv go as they mil, I look at 
Jesus through them,, and would msikfi use of^m 
to lead me to live more upon him. , Tbis seems 
easy; but try it. I wish you a better scholar at it 
than I am. I heai* you had a warning to be ready, 
at the next door* I pray-^ for its good efibct. 
When the messenger comes, ,may . every -«-—■- lift 
iq> his and her head with joy! - 

I^ow old, and find marks of the tabemade's^ 
wearing out fiist ; but I know in whom I hav« be- 
lieved* To him I commend you and yours* Mrs. 
E. joins in every good wish to all yours and you. 
Qp not £ail to.piiay for 

W.R., 



LZTTEXS. i8^ 



LETTER XLVI. 



BiACK Friars, Jan. 24, i777^ 



HT DEAR. VRIEMD, 



o 



uk journey is settled for Thursday morn- 
ing next ; wc move slowly. Hope to be with you 
on Satnvday, pei4ia}w tso^ diaoer. WiH yoa deshis 
1^. B*-** togive me leave to speak tobispeopfe 
on Sanday morning : I shall take it as a &vour«. 
I have seen poor D : he ija very great, peni- 
taxt. The Lord has brought bim thfXM:^ the 
fire, a mirade of marcy« Before this reach you, 
itis^fikelyy b«fwillbeadarii^tbebveof a triune 
God. My journey has been widi mudi prayer. 
He diat niakes mestto be of one mind in a housei 
will, I faope^ unite us to hiinaelf by his Jovii^ 
Spirit, and router us usefid to each odier, as Iron; 
sbarpenetii iron. I do not^— 1 cannot forget your 
&miiy» I am, with great respect m one ooso- 
monlLord, youn^ 



^ KOtAAiafflSi 



liETTEiC xLvn: 



Augiut 2) i)r79»^ 



Jit y wet DBAR vruhS', 



W 



E reriiembeired you and yours, very par- 
ti^cidarly on tlie jth of May last. Blessings on the 
birth of that day. ridiew morV about- it in 7^ 
than I d^ befcnre. And more reason to honoin: 
and esteem you. 1 send you, enclosed, a Bttle 
token of req>eGt. You had it in die last^ war,.^uid 
it is now agsun expedient, yea, necessary, Fbope 
for yonr'bel^ng.hand in this good^ work* Some 
must fight, and others must pray; One is as much 
wanted as the others If Moses does not pray, 
Joshua. does not conquer. IVayers gained the 
victory; Asa has a grealh army of one nullion 
(me hundred thousadd^good ^soldiers: but he does 
not trust so much to them, nor conquer so much 
bj^ tb^ as % bis prayers. Jebosaphat's prayer 



li'ETTERS. S9t 

^t£ faith vanquished a vast host ivithout fighting. 
Read i Chron. v. from the 1 8th to the 23d verse« 
<Oa this account I beg of my dear friend, to join 
us. You have some praying people at ■ i ■ , 
call upon them to unite on this occasion. Re- 
member, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous 
man ovailetA muckf James v. To-day it will avail 
as much as it did in the time of Elias. May God 
give you the spirit of prayer, that you may joia 
the goodly company throughout the land, who 
will be on their knees iie^t Sunday at eight 
o^cIock. it is your duty; may you esteem it your 
iprivilege : aird 1 wish you growing communion 
witii your God, more delight daily in approach- 
ing the throne of his grace, and more blessings 
coming from him on you and yours. We have 
already many hands lifted up to engage the Lord 
jof hosts on our side. Mine jaw engaged, and I 
4Tust will not bang down till peace return* 

Mrs. Romaine is with me and well. With her 

* 

and my best wishes, I am in pur dear Lord your 
/ricnd and obliged servant, 

^ w.x 



a92 HO MAINE'S 



LETTER XLVin, 



BbACK TmxTtMt Nqv. 30, 1779. 



irr oooB vKiiMSy 



I 



HAvs beet taugitt to weep \rith them tbn 
igreqy; they cannot but feel with and for one an- 
otber^ who are joined to the Lord in one l^irir. 
That you sufier seems grievous to the flesh* I 
sympaduie with you ; but I also find the Lord is 
with you, supports you, yea he comforts you^ 
therein I do rejoice. My prs^er is for much pa- 
tience under his hand^ and much profit from his 
rod. Let me direct your attention to Hebrews Kii. 
firom the 5th verse to the 14th. The whole mat- 
ter turns upon the character of the person who 
afiUcts— is it in wrath, or in love? does he punish 
as a judge, or correct as a father ? mind how the 
sentence begins; "my son, keep this upon your 
heart; you have fled to Jesus, you have taken the 



LETTERS. 193 

* 

^be&^e^his atonement and^f his rij^teousness.^ 
You are thereiFore die adopted child of the most 
high God. Aq4 you must not think he changes 
his love when he changes bis dispensations. He 
is ALWAYS yoin: father^ ^nd say his rod is for the 
preflKBnt^ not joyous b^ijt grievous; yet mind, ver. 
^i, it onlf ^eemcth^ the flesh seems to be hurt> ' 
but really it is not; it is only in appearance : look 
nearer, you may easily see love seeding, love in- 
'fUcdngy and wsut a litde; you will have reason to 
thank your Father for the blessed fruits o£ his 
love# : If you live.you will find them very rich and 
ripe. ^ If he sp^ciife, my first journey shall be 
at ...' . I " ; I have ^p-eat fellowship wijh the af- 
ilioed. I shall hope and pray for your support 
and comforts;* my God has promised both. May 
they be abund^tl This summer has given me 
great occasion to learn the san)e liesaon with you : 
and I can set to my seal that God is good and 
do^tk good; nothing but good to his children. 
To his tender care I commend you, and yours. 
Look above,' live abovcf ; .both your jq^s and sor- 
rows make Jesiis, at least you wish to make Je- 
sus your ALL. I am, in hfan, your dear friend and 
servam. 

W. R. 
S 



\ 



194 ROMAINE'S 



I 



LETTER XLIX- 



^Saturday, March ajh 177^- 



GO6D FRIiaiO, 



I 



RAVE an opportdBity of sending mf -re- 
spects to you by Mr. : but I choose to give 
them to you under my own hand« Although I 
do not see you, yet you have a. place in my hearty 
and in and for the Lord's sake, who.changet-h4iot9 
I remensber 4, 1 . in n?y best times, you. and 
yours. One proof of it fl * hope to give you this 
summer, if I am..^)ar6d« Age is coming on fast- 
Infirmities many and great; travelling ^ a bur- 
den. But before I go hence, I purpose <Mica 
more to visit my -^ ■ ■ -friends: vXfcdc{o«rards 
them some of that grace mentipned, &om.L 11, 
1 2, . which grows by giving and receiving. As in- 
deed all the gifts of Christ do : the more you use, 
the more you have : you become richer for what 
you lay out. iXicb a wonderful fulness flows from 



\ 



liETTERSr 195 

CMst^ that be \trbo spends 'most for hm, gets 
I most from hitn. O that my journey may be of 

this kind ; to your profit and mine : and tp Cbrisf^ 
glory. I know not what time it will be ; but will 
not wait on you, without first acquainting you, 
and knowing what time will be to yoa the most 
Agreeable. 

I am sure you do not wish better than I do. 
All my advice is turned into prayer. You will 
give my love to Mr. , of whom I bear 

good things. Mrs. R. desires her kind love to 
you and family. We bad yesterday, such a solema 
time, 39 I never expected to see in London. It 
wits very truly a good sriday*^ My bop^es revive 
for this guihy land ^ for diem that honour me» 
says God, I wiU^ honours I am sure be was hon- 
oured yesterday.' Let me, my good' friend, not 
in compliment I - ask, be remembered by you in 
grayer. I am for my d«ar Lord's sake, youf 
friend and scrvanti" 



>96 RO MAINS' &. 



LETTER L. 



November i6, tythi 



MT DsiR nunfa?) 



W, 



no ceasing, till we ^t into thfe bav^ii. I do noi: 
wish jou out of them/ but to })rofit by tbeM. 
The Airnact la^ to refine gold; so faitbi {H^edg. 
improved^ yea, J>erfected by trials Mind What 
the great Refiner' ulj^-^I will bring Che thhfA 
^* part' through the fire, and I will refiiie them aal 
"silver IS refined, and I will try them as gold is 
*' tried. They shall call on my name^ and I will 
'^ hear them. I will say, " It is my people,*' and- 
*' they shall say, '* The Lord is my God.*^ O bles- 
sefl furnace! — ^What! is this the eflEcct of being; 
put into it? Does the Son of God appear for, and 
with his suffering members?-— Does he keep oft 
the evil of sufFcring-p-give patience under it, pro- 
fit from it-— deaden the life of sense—- q[iu€ken the 



LETTERS. 197 

life of £utb^— and thus bring more real good to 
bis people from their trials than fix>m all the 
comforts that ever they bad? Say«---It b great, 
an uncommon great trial : the furnace is heated 
seven, times .more than it was wont to be heated. 
Stilly this is not to destroy faicb^ but to refine and 
socalt.it. The pkun lesson firom hence. tx> be learn* 
€d isy we must now trust more to the Lord and. 
less to seE His strength- must be our safety, and: 
not our w^akoe^s.. Ifis blessiugs: must be our 
hapjnne^. I^ write these things, because I aov 
praj^gifor them. It is not so much advice as 
player. I know my Lord can, I believe my Lord 
WILL help you in this time of need. Whatever 
interest I have with him is^ you«s» None feel for 
you, or can, mooe thaQ I do. 

I am thankful, however,,, for the grace of:Gody 
^ven unto you at this trying time. The fumaco 
is intended, in the Father's hand, to prove faith, 
and to improve it. He puts it into the fire, like 
gold^ diat^ upontrialy it may appear sterling, and 
that, losing nothing but dross, we may learn to 
trust him better. Younow see and know that }Mk 
trials c^ faith are acts of love. The burning bush, 
so far from being consumed in the flames, is che- 
rished by them, and grows- Blessed be the name 
otour God, I: find the miracle repeated Jn our 



\ 



igi ROMAINE'S 

▼iatations. Ih .faith and patietice joa potter ^wr 
aoul: yea, thesmdlof fire doesnot pa&s uponyoiK. 
Where could you have learned what God has beeiy^ 
teaching you, so soon,, or so well f AQ it well*- 
May you see more of bis love in every &pensa^ 
tioni Trust him* Gb on misdng, tdUiont doubt 
or wavering, and he will grant you your hearted 
d6aire« I commend myself very esumettiy to youtf 
remembrance in die best^ place. Kfentbn me to*, 
your divine and almighty friend, in whom I amjt, 
my best mshes, your obliged servant* 



P. S. Our text to-morrow is-^^We are the true 
circumcision, &c. Pbih iii. 3. God fiilS it, and^ 
give us this communion^ with the Trinity; ! 



BETTERS. ijst; 



BETTER LK 



May i6> i/Sat 



UT DEAR rRIEMD, 



I 



coxrLO not neglect this opportunify of as- 
suring you> bow mtach Iretnember ^ fai the best 
place. Otir Lord knows the needf must of suffer^- 
ing: lie loves you too well to deprive you of your 
portion. He himself went, and ai^l his go, th6 
same way to glory^ They drink of the Brook in 
the way ; and they drinlC it out of the cup of saU 
vation: True, it is^bittcr. I find it very Wtter : 
as unpdiatable as you can find it. But I am pray-- 
itig it may prove more salutary t6 you and to 
me : and this it cannot do, while we murmur and 
complain. It is sent to stop this working of sel& 
will.. The flesh is impatient, and frets : the sphit 
stops its rebellion, and says — " Not my will Lord^. 
but thine be dime/' Amen I May this be the 



a 



ROMAINPS 

tod of all your trials! May you come oat ci 
Aaop like gold out of tbe fire! 

I hear you have a present exercise, viz, your 
young and beloved £»ac^ to be parted from you* 
lliere u grace soffident even for diW You do 
not love your son more than i* did mine. It can^ 
notcns^ your wUl more than it did mine: but my. 
son went into the* army, and I do not repent; it 
was.lHs choice. He has been kept, as far as T 
know, from army^s: aed. t^ same good God 
may also keq> your son* Trust him in his loving 
and careful guidance; and the Lord will do what 
is best both for him and for you. 

■ I > " yur one business is tatrust jour Aj:.]Lf 
in the hands of Christ* Having received hini^ 
then to live upon him. Remember, hie is to an- 
swer every purpose, body, and soul. You and 
yours: earth and heaven. You are not living up^ 
to your privilege, ; if there be any^person or thing, 
that you keep; back:from Qirist, and do not leave 
to his absolute management.. - Tbe command runs 
-wTrustju.HiK atalUimes, ye people. &ay him 
to make you willing to part with your son, .as be 
did Abraham* Pi*ay him to g^ve you mcv'e faith 
to trust him in the Lord's band: and then follow 
him with your daily prayers, that the good LprdL 
maj keep bimirom all evil. When you havc^ 



tETTERS; M% 

t 
^»e ibis, the rest must be left* The Lord vrill 

do what seemeth him good i yea, be will enable 

jxm to say. Gome what may — all is well. - 

In a bond never to be broken, I am yours in 

€hrist. My Blesdng on your dear son^ and' 

prayers for him* 



^ • 



yt-T 



POSTSCRIPT 



A 



.ft it is po^ble tlie foregomg excellent iec« 

^ers may ^11 intO'^^ands of many, who have 

'not read any accoant ^^ the ^orious^iumphaiit 

departure oiF their Uessad Author; i& ba^-cccunlBd 

^o the mind ef^c-SjAtot^ diat sudi of his readers 

would rejoice-to hear the Lentils dealings with thisp 

hisdisting^sbed servant, in his last illness. *For 

their information, therefore; and -^aboive^^dl^^or 

the glory of his Divine Ms^scet/hcN.haa lOserteiGhdae 

foilo\^g particulars* 

Indeed it seemed, as if tlie blessed Mr. Ro« 

liAiKS had a presentimeDt the day before he was 

^* taken ill, that hift end was approaching;, for, on 

going to the h<H»e of anfriend, whom he^joften 

trailed upon, and who lived in his ndghiiottrhood, 

as soon as he was seated, he ^d, .without any in* ^ 

troduction, <<Sct thine home: in order, for thou 

-^ shalt die, and not live/* 'When his friend asked 

him if he dad any particulrr meaning in addrei^sing 

#hini thu«g*t that time, he answered, **No.:** but 



1K>4 POSTSCRIPT. 

^d he, ^^ these words are much on my mind^ 
and they are a call to all, especially to those in 
'iwsiness f or wc^'ds to thdt eSc^r 

The d^y after^ which was Saturday, June 6th, 
-when he was first taken ill at Mr. W-^^-— 's house, 
at Balaam-liill, near Cupham, he said he was 
'Very dck ; and at family-prayer was observed to 
reqMest the Lord, ''tM |ie yf^f^iiA favour them 
with grace sufficj^nt to fit i^em foF, ^ carry 
them tfarcvi^ tfaie tdab of that day, ^bicb ^ligte 
lie fnany.^ During fhc wae ddy, he ^be iam^ 
liarly on his «pproac{4ng d^th^ whkh he seemed 
;to eacpcct «QOD$ aad $a4id the family where he 
dien was. However he wished to return to his 
t>wii house that day, wUcb he did| \m was so 
^eak thtt lie never appeared in the putSk cpiv 
.gregation afterwards. / , 

His fneod above-mentioned, calUng a few days 
after to enquire how be^ did, said to him, ^beavi^ 
^^ ness may endure fdr a night, but joy cpmeth 
^^ in the morning.^ To which he replied, ^ It had 
^^been a night indeed^ but he had a blessed pro$« 
^' pect of death, and a joyful hope of eternity, fufl 
^f of gloiy and immortality.'' . 

To a beloved brother in the ministry, ;who was 
sooQ aftef journeying through London, and call- 
ing upon his dying ^'i^d, he said, ** ^at he did 



POSTSCRTPTi <<q( 

*^ ndt repent of one "worA he bacl>preaG}iedrorpfbiu 
^cd on Faith-in -Jesm; tat that he now felt the 
**Hc$8cd comforts 6f that precioQs doctrine.'* A 
noble testimony this, in &voQr of the preciouf 
creatkes on faith he bad at several times been^ea^ 
aUed to publish, vii. TheLife-ofTdtk^TM JVaCk 
^/'Faitb, and l^he Triumph of 'fmh% to all of 
which his owi -fetppy experience and bri^t ex^ 
smple afforded the most sinking iliustratidn. 

He now tomidered 4118 puUic ministry was f^g[t 
lati end, and^bat he was ^sopn to enter into ;the 
joy o^his Lord ; wliich he was the more confirm* 
^ in, "from^fae extraordinary communion be bad 
with 'God, and the <pe€trliar I^sgah^vieWs of glory 
lie was dX this time ^M^oured with. iHe Would 
take little or no medicine; heiiadnoilesire, now 
his labours wene over, to ^dSf any Joiner *htxc% 
lie jsLnew he wai soon to be widn 'the LoVd fiof 
ever. For this he was now waiting; he longed 
to depart and to be with Christ, -which *was «fiar 
•better. When he sp«ke to any select ^^fntend^ 
tvMch-he could bear<but.scldo^n, and that but U^ 
tie at a time, it was all about J^sas. 

Being asked one day, if he wonid IQce'to se» 

«ome of hU frlcndsf hfe answer was, ** hedid net 

twant better company than he then enjoyed;*' 

imejltii9g4its lovely Saviour. To ^lOse aboiut him 

T 



l^mwQ^4me mlA, ''jron ar« (akiiAg 9W^ poiiiii 
^pmp op tfab feebfe bod^; .1 tbank jp^forit^ 
Ipqt it will not 4o qqw.^' W^oa h irifful »praa* 
«A^ hope tfa^t He v^ bapfjr. iQ bk vi^ws, be 
MBiv^rcd, ^ fcs, tipon tbat pguii^ I bav^ oo d0v^ 
*lbr I tiavc mach of the pre^i^e of Jesus.'*^ 

At aaothcr tioie, bd^sttked if Goi w^s wMi 

Um, be replied, ^^yes^ be » in4e^ ; and he. i* 

n^ God." To aoQ^ier 4etr fimnd* he obii^^ 

ieoiuxeniiBg bis ftmMA v^flkaew^ ^jti.w^ ali. 

tterc^v att niercy ;'^ andlteo ga^@9 liet tut pftrli^ 

Iwnediction, jendiaipat Ae laoie ^^me bi^ bI«S3i^ 

to her 1iiiriMaMl.ftBdbofiljMKi^*«4o »U tbii vi^td)i<m» 

not a :tingle timii^^actng iwor«l w^ l« te J)^ai4 

firomhispreckoif Up^; be koew, b^ f(M(t# it \^ 

•U iQve* He had tbe iH!c»ei}ee of JewSi wd Ibr 

li^t of h» coiMenanoe^ bow ^nW. be^tiffi^QOiP* 

fdain ? be.ettjojred a very lieaveD if)on ^m^ It 

h this mak<9 heaven Jo be what it is ; k C9ps^ 

totes tbe verjr e39Q0ce x>f f t ; j»a» tbi$ IS th^ h$i|^ 

miof heavess ; baiec, when he weus fr^quejily fsk- 

.^d bow he was ? his gpnmA ap^er wa9> ^^ weU 

'' as I cai) be this side k^Sif^Vi^ To bis Mrortbf 

curate and successor, he. said, at one tinie, ^ he. 

f ' had iaia long at first in tbe arms of de^b ; and 

« if recovering, it was very slpwly ; but this, mA 

if h^ as but a>49odr dying life, at best $ ii9Mi«wer I 



^^rh iii h& hat«te \Hk) \HdH do the b^t f&r ttic j**- 
^(Ming witli a pfeculiar energy, « I attt feure of 
** thstt ; I havfe Kvfeii to c^eri«^cfe all I have spok- 
*f en, atid a« I have wrkteiy> and I bless God fof 
ii it.*^— Ta^nother he Tsaid, " I h&vc the peace of 
w 6od m mycons^fcftce, aMihe love of G^ ift 
« wy teaft, and^ thAf^ yM kttoy^, is $outid ciipc* 

* rtence.''^ atid i^i^, « I teie^ before tiie doe^ 
« tritf es I preafched to be truths ^ but now I expe- 

* tiekct thtetti to Be Messings,*^ Ano^t^ei^iHfcJild he 
Uhankedfor '^'cmningWiee'^ sitved' dfWur:^ AtJt 

k&f&nig to^vhiit he Kad ofted ^eet^^ed l^ht^kl 66 

Ife^^lig bodst, even'theTangittrge of the pi*lkftn f 
«^ tTdd tie mere Alt t&l^ a-tiiitiie^ t' to ailoti}^ be 
saSd; ^Ishairsooh 6c upon the Mount 2ioft tfiat 

t Shall c^joy my cverlastfiig mt^^^KW hfe tidi&i 
]^1ht wto x3f iih> wiuch, ittSd he, '< is a Jourcti bf 
cfii our mlscryi^' One tnorning;^ near the eiid ' of 
hidlife^ he read in the family devotiori,^ of the 
sickness and prayer of Hesekiah ; ^nd said, ** No\i/ 
I should have none of this weakness arid bnguish- 
fag, if 1 had no iiii jibut G6d be thanked fot hopi 
in;death, yea farUfe in death.** * 

*■ At another time, as he SAt at feeakfest, he !iaid, 
^'U k is rto^near sbtVy ye^ru since God opened my 
^a)Ql)ib; IxoAraf hearti to piMsh ' the everiasting 



ao*^ rOSTSCRIPT. 

mxBaeaej and eternal gldty^ c^ the aalvatibn gT 
Cbrfat Jesus ; now h has pleased God to shut 107 
mouth to give me more esqperitnce in my- hearty 
of what I have said amcerning it iii my iife.^ 
After brak£ast he was helpred into the next room, 
not being able to perform the &mily-duty ; but 
desired the door might be left open whilst they 
were at ptayer ; when his son read, exppundcdy and 
prayed ; after which, :the mistress cf. the hxtdlf 
went. to ask him how he didi '^O thanks be to 
God, (he replied) for Ms meix^y^uid goodnes thas 
hath surely followed me all the days of my- life I 
and blessed he his name,, thati have lived to see 
this day, that I ^uld be blessed with a schi to be 
a son-of'God.^ 

Oil the 24th of July, being'hdf>ed down staiis^^ 
be criedout, f* O how good is God ! what a good! 
night he has fovoured me withi. and^iphat a Mes- 
sed: ptrosp^ctr now- 1, see before me f? Mrs. Ro» 
maine coming in, said, *- 1 boge,vmy dear, you* 
nowfiudGod your support, and hispromise of hfis^ 
in Christ Jesus your, comfort i!*- **Yes, (here* 
plied), dow. my. heart and flesh and strength faSk^ 
me ; God isthe strength o£ iny-hcart and my por^ 
tioafor ever. The kord. Uess y^su^^and reward, 
yourfor all your, kindness^ and teiider care> and 
s^Ximl^ A . cpvenant Cbd b^i wkb, pr^servei^ 



fasrrscKTrr. »y 

ttmlfbless yoa for ever B' His^ kind boKeas theit 
•omingin, said, "Have you not a blessiog foe 
« mc. Sir V* ♦< Yes, God Aiiniglhty bless you," he 
replied. The night following, bcwat'Catbcr rc^t*^ 
less, and noc being able to come down stairs, when 
his friend returned from town, about three o'clod^ 
and went up stairs to ask hxm how he was ; ho 
answered, « Very well, and glad to see you.'^ 
He then stKX>k hands- with Um,. and ssdd, ^ What^ 
are you going to town again ?* Ke replied, <* Nb^ 
but I am come t^xpray to God' to Wcss you now 
with the comfort of his sweet salvation, and- to* 
give you now the Messed possession and* enjoy-- 
ment of life everlastiong,^* '* Amen! Amen! 
Amen !'^ he cried out. Some time after, his kin* 
fiaius went up to him again (when tils departure 
was expected everjf moment) and sait!, ^^ My dear 
and blessed friend, I hope you now find the deav 
Saviour Jfesus Christ;, precious to your heart i^* 
** Yes, yes, precious ibdeed, more precious' thao^ 
rubies, and all that can^ be desired is not worthy 
o£ being: cotnpared unto him, the tree of life in 
Iten^d^t of tlie paradise of God.'*. His worthy* 
ffiend adds,, thmt prayer and* prabe was almost 
all that could be heard; as tong; as. bis tongue 
couM speak, or he had breath to draw. *^ Ma ny a 

happy hour G^ct^iisaYes} have I spent with him^ 



«M POSTSCRIPT. 

but none e^I to the lasfc; (and inspecting 
acHF) I betieve the last hour of his li£e^ vns the 
haf^est hour in all bis li£e ^ \^ch he dosed mo^ 
tmmxpbandy, ^yingy ^Holy, hoIy>. holy Lord 
God Ahnighty ! glory be to^tbe idn high for sttc^ 
piniee oa earthy aad good^I unto menP 

Alkttcaftertwdve, be-fini^edhis coliraev ftK. 
Stdcep, and ontlrrM iDGo his eternal rest ;: depoort*- 
im^itti^lifeimdMMit a stirc^^ ^g^ orgroa^ 



isn 09 ruM. Le^tjouI^ 



S E R M O N 



BY THE tATS WVftREKD 



WlhhlkU HOMAINE; M.A> 



J^Rj5iyA« viiU p^i. 



T/ th^re no J^m in (Jikad? Is, tfjere no PlysiH(M 
. there ? Why tbm is not the bcaUb of tie 4<iugls 
ter of tnf pe<^ recqvj^K^d? 



A. 



l/L nien Ipvfi health • The ^t^xt of it i$ 
fpuaded in uairMre. It is one of the natural in- 
5i;incts whkh nevcx kaycs^us, S<? long as wc love 
pleasure and hate paipy we cannot but love h^akb^ 
as the chief of all oijtward Uesstng^? Indeed i^ u 
to be desired Jjeyond them all, because without it 
we can enjoy n<)iv: of them 5 without it we arc Ufl* 
fit for our worldly business and employment, and 
unfit for the duties of religion, A good man 
would therefore wish for health with a view to the 
concerns of a better life, as well as to tho5e of tho 
present Uf«. h\\ men desire it wpipp a. teiQp9ral 



Ttnn A SERIMOH. 

account. But alas ! how few have a real destne 
€or the health of the souU If the body be in 
creat pain, with what 'Chaste do they send for re- 
-Iief, and how carefully do they follow the phjBi- 
cian's prescription? But when their squIs are 
^wounded with sin, and they m^ endure the.«mart 
and anguish of their wounds for ever : for these 
are, by any human means, incurable ; and when 
a divine .remedy is j)roposed9 .and they hear of a 
ioving and an almighty physician, under Avhose 
hand no patient was ever- lost, yet they have not 
^orie wish to be healed. What can be the reasoa 
^this? Why are the very men, who with an 
invariable affection love bodily health, so far from 
^desiring the health of the soul, that when they 
have an offer of being healed of all their spiritual 
maladies, they neglect the remedy, and despise 
the physician? Js not this unaccountable conduct? 
What can make the same men in the same case 
reason *so difierently? If thej had an infaUibVe 
remedy for the recovery of bod^y health, there 
is not one of them who would reject it; but there 
IS a sovereign remedy for the recovery of the 
Jiealth of the soul, there is balm in Gilead, and a 
most kind and able physician there to apply it, 
and yet spritual maladies abound. Let in ^en- 
quire into the cause of thi& inconsistent tieba^our. 
It is an enquiry in which we are all nearly concern- 
ed. Our welfare depends op our being healed of 
the wounds of sin by this balm of Gilem. ^e can 
have no true peace of conscience here^ nor no true 
happiness hereafter, unless we take this sovereign 
medicine. May the Lord God dispose us all to 
take it by means of what shall be said in opening 
.and explaining the text, in which tiiere is» 



tFkst^ Some ^aickness referred to. 

Secondly^ A sovereign medicine— -diere is balm 
In Gikad to heat it. 

TMrdfy, A .great physician to apply it ; and 
all the means ^ healing being thus ready at hand, 
:the question naturally follows, in the 

Fourth place f Why then is not the health of the 
daughter of my peotple recovered ? 

If we kx^ bac^ to the t/th verse we shall find 
an account c^the siclciieft referred te in the text. 

The people were ^ung wifh serpents and cockr 
a^ces, and of the roost venproous and fiery sort^ 
whose poison once infused into the blood, acts like 
»the most r^ng fire, consuming and drying up 
the fluids ofthe body, and in a short time brmg- 
ingon certain death. ''^Tor behold I wiH send 
"serpent^ codcatriccs, among joUy which will 
"^ not -be charmed, and Aey ^1 Idte you, saith 
^ the I^ordT* This is a just picture of that more 
deadly poison, which the old serpent the devil in* 
iused into both body and soul, the efie<cts of which 
all the human race have felt : for he drew us all 
into sin, and the dreadful consequences of sm ap- 
4)earin that variety -of diseases which bring down 
^ur bodies tq the grave of death, and in that va« 
nety of corrupt and depraved appetites, which 
proves, the soul to be alienated from tlie life of 
God, and to be incapable, unless it be entirely 
changed, of enjoying God. It was sin which thus 
poisoned our nature 2 for before sin entered into 
Che worlds all things were good. There was no 
evil to afflict ^her body or soul. But when sin 
entered, then the sanction of the law took place|» 
^ in tbeolay that thou eatest of the forbiddea 

U . 



214 ASERMON. 

*' fruit, dying thou sbalt die.** Gen. il, ij. "In 
that day thy body shall become mortal/ and liable, 
.to those pains and diseases which in a course of 
years shall destroy its animal 11^, and thy soul 
shall be separated from the fountain of its spirit- 
i]al life, and cut of from all communion wiA God 
in this world, and in the next it shall bo separated 
from-him for cvet", which is the second death. Oh 
sin ! what hast thou done \ Thou artthc author of all 
.the evils which mankind ate capable of suffiring 
in earth and hell. Thou broughtcst them all 
upon us, thou enemy of God and man. And wilt 
thou afterwards pretend to be our friend? Wilt 
^ thou conle to court us with promises of happiness, 
that by deceivinrj us, thou mayesf more effectu- 
ally poisoh and destroy our .bodies and. souk? 
Look upon this base traitor, my brethren. Can 
lie be a friend to your nature, ,whQ has subjectejd* 
it to all the miseries of mortality? If you have 
any true love for yourselves, how can you love and 
cherish sin, which has made you liable to suffer 
the JSrst and the second death ? What ! is this a 
/friend to be taken into your bosom, one that will 
murder your body, and bring both body and soul 
into hell ? Accustome yourselves to view sin in 
-this light, and it )vill help you to see the horrible 
>^estructive nature of it. When you beboM ^ 
dead cQj;pse, think wligit a murdurer sin is r for 
-that body would never have died, if sin had not 
poisoned it. And then turn your eyes. inwards, 
and let each man say to himself-— This beloved 
body of mine, upon which I spend so much time 
and care, was made mortal by sin, and all the 
pains and diseases, which I. can suffer, came from 



A SERMON. 215 

the same cursed cause ; yea, from it came all the 
miseries-which I deserve to sufter with devils and 
condemned spirits in the fire that never is to be 
quenched, and shall I love and delight to serve 
such an enemy ? Shall I give up the members of 
my body as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin^ 
OTd so work out mine own everlasting dc^ruction? 
God tbrhid. As sin is the author of all the evil, 
which I do or can endure, I will therefore fight 
against it, and may the Lord God save me from 
the guilt, and deliver me from the dominion of it. 
This is the language of every heart, which is 
made sensible of the poisonous qualities of sin. 
When the awake.nd sinner feels the malignant 
venom wcirking in bis constitution, he will he led 
to abhor a«d to deCest it, andthe more so, wheb* 
the scripture discovers to him the execrable focr 
who poisoned him vrith sin^ ano^that was the old 
serpent- What these serpents are said in the 17th 
verse to have done to the bodyin poisoning it, the 
same did he both to body and soul ; and as he 
did it at first in the serpent, he has therefore been 
known and distingiJished by this name from tl>e 
time that he deceived our first parents in the sul?- 
tle serpent. The apostle has given us a very 
alarming description of him. Rev. xii. 9. where 
he is treating of the war which was in heaven 
between Michael and his angels, and the 4A'agoa 
and his angels. " And the great dragon, he says, 
*< was cast out, the old serpent, called tlie devil and 
" satan, who deceiveth the whole world.*' Here 
he is called the serpent, alluding to his crafty wili- 
ness, and the old serpent, to denote his having 
employed all the wiles to deceive and ruin man- 



2i6 A SERMON- 

icind. As acxm as Aey were created'he ptbcted' 
their destruction^ and be became satan, their sworn 
adversary, and the devil, their accuser, who sought 
Co destroy their pedous lives with the rage of a 
dragon ; yea, with more rage than common drav 
gons have, even with the burning fury of the great 
dragon. And alas! he was successful: for ho 
decciveth the whole world. He pcnsoned the 
whole human race. He corrupted all flesh, and 
we are now groaning under the dreadful effects 
of our total corruption. The cursed venom of 
sin, which he infused ima our bodies, still works 
in them; but its idore cursed venom sdll work% 
though less perceptiU]% in our soub.. The poison- 
keeps workuig in the body, until k brings on sick^^ 
ness and deam^ and reduce us to the dust, from 
whence we were taken ^ and it keeps working in 
the soulin every hateful and unholy temper, whicll. ' 
tends to stir up the wratti and indignation of God^ 
and to separate the soul for ever and- ever from 
Mm the fbuntmn of life and glory. 

Tliis is the great and universal malisidy referred 
to in the teiK, the malady of sin, with which the 
old serpent, the devil, has poisoned the whole 
world. When he deceived our fim parents, he 
then poiscmed the fountain, and all the streams 
which have been ever since flowtng from it par- 
take 4>f the direful infection r fer the word of 
truth decbres^ <*^ That as by one man sin entered' 
^ into the world, and death by sin, so death pass-. 
^ ed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.'' 
Here the entrance of sin is said to be the cause ct 
the entrance of death, and we will all die in Adam^. 
therefore we aU sin»^inbim : for the wages <£ 






A SERMON. 217 

sin IS death. 'Now God being infinitely just and 
righteous would not pay the w^es, unless there 
were some sin to deserve them, but infants receive 
the wages of sin, and consequently they are sin- 
ners; they die in Alam^ because in him they sin- 
ned. *^ For by the offence of one judgment came 
*^ upon allnien to condemnation/' Thus was our 
whole nature, bpth body and soul, corrupted by 
the fall^ and the^e is not a sound part or faculty 
in either of them. They are corrupt and abomin- 
able altogether,^ and in nothing does this total 
corruption more evidently discover itself, than in 
their entire blindness and insen^bility of their dan- 
gerous condition. They are pcnsoned, and yet 
they know it not ; nay, they are so unwilling to 
know it, that when we inform them of it, they are 
highly offended. They cannot bear to be told of 
it, no, not by the ministers of the gospel, whoae 
ofHce and duty it is. Wfc are sure to stir up their 
rage and hatred, if we discover to tl>em the 
workings^of Xhis poison in their hearts, and if we 
appeal to the affects of it. in their Hves, and refer ' 
them to thevplentiful streams of iniquity, which are 
continually Howing^om the corrupt fountain o£ 
the hearty then they cannot bear us ; they are like 
the deaf adder, that stoppeth her ear ; which will 
not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming 
:ever So' wisely. They are re'solved not to be dis- 
turbed about their sins, and therefore they will 
not hear of their sickness or of their danger. 
They bad rather die of their malady, than bfe 
made uneasy about it. Let sin do its worst in the 
next life, in the present they will enjoy it ; and Hi 
^«eet security. too]|P if they can. Is not this, an. 



k 



sit A SERMON. 

atfonMnng degree of infatuation? Is it not om* 
of the strongest dehiaona of the devit, that be 
diould make those very men insensible of their 
niritual maladies, who are exqui^telj sensible of 
cne last bodBy malady, whose fears are all alarm- 
ed at the tbongbts of their dj^ng to this world, 
Init who have not the least concern about thdr 
dying from God and glory? Are any of jaa, 
mj brettoen m this case ? Are you easy about 
the state of your souls, having never been in any 
distress .about orisinat and actual an? Did you 
never feet^ yoursehres so »ck of both, that you 
were afrdd you should peridi everlastingly ? If 
not, confer what it is^ wtuch keeps you in this fa« 
Cal security. Are not you sinners? For all have 
nnned. And has not an poisoned both body and 
soul? And is not this one of the sad, stupifying 
effects of its poison,, that whife there is not a step 
between you and death, yet you have no concern 
about your being healed? Are these things so ? 
If they be, mi^ the almighty God awaken you to 
ti sense of VQ^r danger. Oh! that he may set 
liome and nx such a conviction of sin upon your 
consciences, that, feeling your malady,, you may 
eamestry seek the great physician's help, and mar 
bappily find that l£ere is Ixtlm in Gilead; which 
is the 

Second parfktdar I was^ to consider; Glory be 
to God, who hath not left us without rememv^ 
Our disease is dangerous^ but there is balm m 
Gilead, which can heal perfectly and eternally. 
The country of Giliead was famous for a precious 
balm which grew there. ** Go up' to Gilead, and 
Hdte bahP;'' f^ the prophet Jeremiah, xlvi ih^ 



L 



A SERMON. S19 

Its heafing virtae is described hj him, cbapii li. 9. 
where speaking of the downfal of Babylon, be- 
says, ** Take balm for her pain> if so she may be 
^' healed,** This sovereign medicine, vrtuch then 
grew in Gilead, could asstmee the pain of wounds 
and heal them, and thereby was a type oPthe 
gracious remedy, which God had provided for the 
Healing of the wounds of Any namely^ the most 
precious btcxx) of the lamb of God, applied and 
made effectual by the holy Spirit: tor as this 
cleanses away idl the polutiona, so it heals all the 
dbeases of sin. The scrijpture has treated largdjr 
of its healing virtue, but it is no where more for- 
cibly recommended than in the parable of the good 
Samaritan. Our Lord says, *^ A certain man 
^ went down fi-om Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell 
** among thieves, who stripped hun of his raiment, 
^* and wounded him, and departed, leaving him 
^ half dead/' Tliis certain man was Adam^ 
whose possession was in a paradise of peace and 
rest, and there he was innoc^if^ safe and happy t. 
But he left tbk Missful state of lus own accord^ 
contrary to God^ express* commandment,' and he 
feU amon^ thieves, satan and his angeb, who drew 
him into sin, and stripped him of his raiment, rob* 
bed him of t»s righieousness, in which his soul 
had tHtherto appeared in immacukite purity before 
God. This spotless robe they took away^^ and left 
poor faHcn man naked and wounded. They 
wounded his body with those pains and diseases, 
which Uing it down to the dust, from whence it 
was taken ; and they .wounded bis soul in all its 
faculties his understanding with darkness, his will 
yAh a vicious choice^ Sad bis a&ctions withi 



aao A SERMON. 

worldly tnindedness, so that he placed his love 
upon the creature instead of the Creator ; they 
wounded his conscience with guilt, aud with fear 
of death and of hell. " Apd they departed Icav- 
" ing him half dead :** for his sou], the better part, 
was separated from God, and aFready dead in tres-. 
passes and sins> and the body was dying. When 
man was fallen into this helpless state, the patri- 
archal dispensation took place from Adam to. 
Moses, under which the first-bom was priest, and 
had a right to offer up the appointed sacrifices ; 
but these could not give life to the sinner, and 
therefore the pr;est came and looked . upon him, 
and passed by on the one side,, being unable to 
raise him up fi*ora the ^cath of sin. Next suc- 
ceeded the levitical dispensation £rom Moses to 
Christ ; The Levite came and looked upon hii», 
and passed by on the other side, being unable, by 
any of the legal rites and ceremonies^ to raise 
fallen man to his former righteousness and perfcc-. ' 
tion. ^^ But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, 
** came where he was,*' Samaritan sig»ifies keep- 
er, and it here stands ^r the keeper of Israel, 
whose compassions fail not ; *^ for when be saw 
" him, he had compassion cmi him.''" His love dis- 
posed him to use his power for the sinners recove- 
ry. H^ was almighty, and he resolved, to use his 
almighty power to heal him. He went up to 
him, and applied the balm of Gilead— -^' he bound 
" up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine,'' wine, 
the established type of the most precious blood of 
the lamb of God ; and oil, the known emblem of 
the salutary influence of the holy Spirit : Pour 
these into the deepest and most dangerous w^imd^ 



4 . A SERMON. aar 

ofmi and they will iDfalliblj work a perfect ctH^ : 
for the blood has a divine virtue to healyi being 
appointed and ordained of God for that verj pun^ 
pose. It cleanseth us, says one, who had ex- 
perienced its virtue, and by cleansing healeth us, 
from all sin. And no wmder : because it is the 
blood of God. He, who shed it, was God and 
man united in one Christ, and therefore it had in* 
finite and divine merit. And when he stood in the 
place of dnners, obeyed and suffered for them, 
and was obedient even unto deafh, his obedience 
and sufferings could want nothing to render them 
as satis&ctory as the law and justice of the Father 
could require : because his blood had virture as a 
release to discharge believers fi-om all the pains 
and. penalties, to v^ich they were subjected for 
their ^ns, and as a purchase to put them in^os- 
session of their forfeited estate. The apostle de^ 
fcribes its operating^ as a release, when he says of 
jt, ** that we have redemption ^ through his blood, 
^ even t*ie forgiveness^of sins,*' and as a purchase^ 
when be says, ** that Christ, having' washed Ui 
^ from our sins- in hi» own blood, hath made uS' 
** kings and prfcsts- unto God ami his Father .*i 

Now since the blood of Christ has thi* S(»rereigii^ 
healing virtue, and since we have through it re* 
demption, even eternal redemption from all the 
pains and miseries of sin, surely then, it is an es«^ 
sential ingredient in that precious bahn of Gilead,, 
which has virtue to heal every sinner who takes 
it, let his case be ever so. dangerous? But then it 
must be taken. A sick man may have a very good 
remedy at hand ; but if he never take it, it can ne* 
¥er cure him. In like manner,, it is not enough 
that the bbod <>f Christ can beal, }m in order to 



aia A sermon: 

heal, it muae be applied. The application makes 
it e£^ctual> and therefore we read of the blood of 
spriDkling^both in the Old Testament, and in the 
New. Ine blood must be sprinkled upon the con- 
science in order to heal the wounds of sin, and this 
is the ojfEce of the holy Spirit. He applies the 
Uood of Christ : H^ brings this healing bahn to 
the wounded soul. And as oil was the emblem of 
his salutary influence, therefore in the good Sama- 
ritan^s prescription we find the medicine was made 
upof oil and wine, of the blood of Christ, and of 
the grace of his Spirit, which two, sweetly joined 
and tempered together, make up the healing balin 
of GHead. There is not a wound of sin so deep, a 
disease of sin so desperate, but the blood of Christ 
applied by the holy Spirit can heal them : for God 
hereby healeth the broken in heart,, and giveth 
this medicine to heal their sickness. Although 
they be half dead, yet it can recover them ; be- 
cause it operates by a divine and almighty power. 
The blood of Christ can raise the deadest soul to 
justification of life, and through sanctificatiou of 
4he Spirit this life is renewed and strengthened day 
by day, until every spiritual malady or sin be re- 
moved, and sorrow and sighing be done away for 
ever. Hear this, ye moiu-ncrs in Sion, and Trft up 
your drooping heads. Looking into yourselves 
you may have reason to grieve. Your sins are 
many and great. They have wounded your con- 
sciences. You feel the smart, and your distress is 
exquisite. But despair not. Lo, there is balm in 
Gilead. The blood of Jesus is an infallibly remedy. 
The holy Spirit is almighty to apply it, and he h^s 
already shewed you your want of jt. Oh I that be 



'A- SERMON. az3 

' may give you ^ace to wait untfl he supply your 
wants, and you fccl its sovereign virtue healing 
your wounded consciences. Anoto encourage you 
to seek and wait until you find, remember that 
there is not only balm in Gilead, but also that there ^ 
is a physician there; as I am, in the 

Tmrd place to consider, under whose hands you 
cannot fail of a perfect recovery ; and he is no less 
' a person than the jgreat physician of souls, who is 
also God over all, olesscd for ever. He who cre- 
ated all things, visible and invisible, and who saj>. 
ports them By the word of his power, vouchsafes 
.to heal his people of their sins; so there can be no 
.doubt of his power, because he is almighty to heal. 
And can there be any doubt of his love? Did not 
ills love bring bira down from heaven to the low- 
■est humiliation, even to veil his divine glory under 
a covering of flesh, and did not his Tove then lead 
him to put forth his divhie power to heal every 
one who applied to him for a bodily cure ? Where- 
:.by he demonstrated to us his readiness to exert the 
same power to heal the spiritual infirmities of those 
who come to him for his assistance. The eternal 
sGod, whom angels and arch-angels worship and 
adore, was pleased to be manifested .in the flesh, 
so that God ^nd n)an were one Christ, and the one 
Christ, the* God-man, stood up in the place of sin- 
ners, ai their representative; for them he obeyed ^ 
> the law, and suffered the pains and penalties due 
to the breach of it, that by bis stripes they might 
be healed : He was obedifcnt, even unto death, and 
then rising from the dead, as their representative, 
he wrouglit out an all-perfect righteousness for 
iheAij;, which being imputed unto them by faith, 



aa4 A «ERM0N 

tlicy thereby receive justification to life, and aR 
4he deadly wounds of sin are healed* .Tliiis die 

freat physician of souls has demonstrsited his*]ove« 
ou may read it in every action of his life, and in 
•very suffering unto death. You may read it en- 
graven in every wound of his crucified body. 
What were the marks and scars which the crown 
of thorns made in his bead, and the whips and 
$courges made on his back; but visible signs and 
seals of bis love? The love which led him to his 
agony and bloody sweat> to his bitter cross and pas- 
«on> was greater ^han that of the strongest instmct 
and natural afiection in the human breast: '^Tor 
'' can a woman forget her sucking child, tliat she 
^ should not have compassion upon the son of her 
*'womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will not I 
^^ forget thee, saith the Lord: ra* I have ^aven 
^' thee upon the palms of my liands.** While he 
looks iq)on them, he cannot forget his peopk : be- 
tcause on the palms «f bis haadsace ^he prints of 
Ihe muls 1^ which he was fastened to the cross^ 
and these prints are the precious engravings of his 
ivoaderfol Iove« XjqqUl upon the <:ructfied Jesus, 
my christian brethren, as wounded for your trans- 
gressions and bruised for your iniquities, and see if 
ever there was love like bis. Every wound speaks 
forth his love, every bruise loudly prooclaims the 
greatness of it His death demonstratee bis love . 
to have been stronger than death, and his pierced 
side shewed that he had^et his people as a seal up- 
ion his heart % for from thence there fiowed blood 
and watery water to cleanse the pollution, and 
bbod to heal the wounds of their sins. Sqrely 
tbeoj he who sb^ bis hearifs Uood for diem can- 



%cft ivabl love ? Let this eticourage podr dejeetdl 
wmls to wait upon hitn. Vfkf are ye so troubled^ 
^88 if tSod bad not provided la roedicfaie to heal the 
brdfcen-heaFted^? b there not bahn in Gikad? 1« 
*here not a ^physician there'? 'Otf! wait upon him 
then fop bis kind assisteticey and yqu ixiill certainly 
^d that the fountain of his love is not dried upw 
-iie is now nlndeed on the throne of glory^ king tf 
Jcuigs^ and lord of lords, but he has the ^nie tei> 
der heart, whidbonce bled to'^eath upon the cross. 
A^ly to him forTetief, and he will not cast you. 
out. You can have no distemper, but what he 
has power to heal: for he is an almighty physi- 
cian. And nb distnttper but what he ;has love to 
beat; fcH* God is love, and the Saviour the Lord 
Christ is God. How greait soever the wounds cf 
sin may be, fat If you feiriow at bisfeot^ool, cry- 
ing for dierc:y, lie will not reject your stit. What! 
VFas it ever known sthat he ca« out »the sprayer of 
the -poor destitute? No. There never was, and 
there never will be soch an instance* Wlien he 
^as upon«arth be never refused to heal ^any one 
iivho<asked hb he^. He never sent one single per- 
son away mirelieved, t\rliat«ver his disease mtght 
be, or however unworthy he was to ^be healed of 
it. He cured all that came to biut, and he did 
iiot half cure •'them, but it is written, "they were 
^* made perfectly whole.*' PcrfcGtly tloes he heal 
all the wounc^s of sin, and eternally, He'lioals for 
ever. *His medicines restore his ^patients -to ever- 
lasting healdi. He forgtveib M 'their «lns^ and 
healeni all then- infirmities, and thus admits them 
into the city of the living^ God, the inhabitant of 
itfhkh 5hall not say, I am li<eH^ fer the pecple that 

V 



W6 A SERMON. 

dwell tberda sbaU be foipvcn their iniquity, aol 
jBo freely and fully ftic^ven, tbat God will remeio- 
bericno more. And is this, indeed the character 
jof the great physician of soub? Is his heart $o 
full of love, that he i« always disposed to use bis 
|X)wcr for the perfect recovery of convinced and 
afflicted sinners^ Is he as willing as he is able to 
fceal tbeiTi^ No doubt he is. Xct such persons 
then seek hb help^ and look qp unto him (or me- 
dicine to heal their wounded consciences. He hath 
, wounded vou out of love^ and he will heal. He 
hath convinced you of your wants> in order tbat 
you miglit wait upon him to have them supplied. 
Wait then, and he will give you abundant reason 
xo admire and to praise the wonders, which be 
will do for you ana for your salvation. He will 
pardon you freely^ and will heal all the wounds 
which sin has made, and tlien.he will enable you 
to declare upon .your own happy experience, tbat 
there is balm in Gilead, and a phj^sician there. 

Now since this is the case, why do men lobour 
under the maladies of sin ? Since the bkx)d of 
-Christ is the. sovereign baJm, .and Christ is the 
physician, whose power and love are able and 
willing to heal tlic most desperate dis^'asc, and 
the holy Spirit is almighty to apply the healing 
b^lm,. may we not then reasonably enquire, \Vl>}i 
is not the health of the daughtca* of my people re- 
covered? And this is the 

Fourth and ' Jast pai'^cular to be considered, 

*\Vhy arc any men sivk, when they have an offer 

of health? Do tlic^y choose, do they love sickness? 

Yes,. The :samc men, whose every pulse:beats 

jaft^r bo(iil^ health, ,ghopse. and love spiritual sick^ 



k- 



A' SERMON. ii7 

Wt%ii. Tfiev arc alanned at the least disorder 
which attacks tiK body, and yet they have no con- 
ccrii about die soul, although it be wounded with 
sin, and sick unto death, yea just ready to perish. 
How absurd is this^ironduct? Thus to prefer the 
health of the meaner and baser part of their cor- 
sdtution to the more ncd^te and exalted parr, is a 
flagrant absurdity. Nay, not to desire the heakh 
of the soul, when it is offered them, is acting un- 
naturally against-their own interest. To reject it, 
when the great physician himself offers it in his 
word, is treating him with vile ingratitude ; and 
not to receive his inestimable reme^ at his hands^ 
when he sends out his ministers to invite sinners 
to take it, to spurn it from them, as if it was a 
thing which they did npt vakie or did not want, 
this is the height of sin and wickedness; for who- 
soever thus acconnteth the blood of the covenant 
an unholy thing, and thereby doth despite unto the 
spirit of grace, for him there remaineth ho more 
sacrifice for sin, but a certain fear fuk looking for 
of Judgment and fiery indignatioo. 

TMs being the case, the- question returns. What 
can be the reason, that the health of the daugh . 
ter of my people is not recovered. Here is the 
all-beajing balm of Gilead, here is an all- wise, and 
an almighty physician, and why then, my brethren, 
vriH you not for his sake, for your own sakes, re- 
ceive the sovereign miedicine at his hands? What 
other cause can be as»gned, but that you love your 
disease more than health. Sin, wjth all its infir- 
mities, is dearer to you than the full enjoyment of 
the pleasures of a perfect recovery. Sin, although 
you die of it, is more precious, than to receive 



vl9 a SEItMOR 

Kfe froih die bands of dur rcdeeimg God. S&^ 
alchoi^h it send yoa to ^bell> k more denrabie 
ibaa healcb in heaven. ^, althoug it bring on 
you nfiver*endi&g torments witb^ devUs- and coo* 
demned apirtts, is sweeter to you than these etemaL 
joys which are at God'& right hand for evermore^ 
Ob I what a wonderful dcIuacMPi b there In an, tliafe 
k shoald thus make men love it more than health, 
and bajquncss ? How strong is the detuaon, since 
the same men reason^ in the things' belonging ta 
the body, directly contrary to what they do ia 
Chings belcmgtnj^to the soin ! Propose kmnedtate 
relief to any oft hem lying in a severe fit of tiier 
gout or stone, they etnbrace tlie proposal vnAt 
eager joy. Propose immediate reneT from the 
jftLim andmiseriea of sin> they vnlSk nor hear b^ 
mdch less take the remedy. There is bialm in Gi-« 
Isadv^phy^ian is tbere>.even the Lord Jesus, the 
sovereign pbyucian of soalsi and^j^t they wiU noi^ 
apply to him. Sck as they are^ and ready to ex«^ 
pire with tbein&mitks of sin, yet they had riather 
perish than be beboIAen. ft> him for a curel All 
bis attributes, his power, his wisdonV, his^goodness 
cannot win them. Ail bis> ^aces, his pardoning,, 
justifying, sanctifying grace,, have no influence. 
He may be a 6ud almighty to save,, but^ the 
charms of sin, though but for a season, seem toi 
them preferable to the blessings of his present and 
eternal salvation. But whence is it that sin should 
be capaUe of delocfing nten so far as to make 
them prefer sickness to health ? l%e true cause 
is this ; Sui blinds their eyes, and hardens their 
hearts* It stupifies and ikadcm the senses, so thae 
lliey feel nottheiir sgiritiKil in the same manQcx ^, 



A SERMON* 229 

they <Io their bodily diseases. The unckrstandiog 
n in darknes3» they know not.that it is* diseased. 
When they know it^.the memory is short and sooti 
Ibrg^s it. When they remember it, yet conscience 
is rast asleep; it neither checks the v/VHin the 
^lioice^ nor the aiS;ctionain the love and enjoy- 
fiient of sin. Tlius has sin m^ired all their iucuU 
ties, and they have no desire to be healed, because 
they are insensible of their malady .> When we 
enaeavour to convince them of it, they will not 
believe us; And because they do »ot feel the ;in>- 
mediate smart of their sins, they will nol^ therefore 
give credit to us, when we declare, from the 
word of God, that they will smart for them, and 
tp eternity, unless they come to the physician of 
souls to be healed. ^ And this will be the case^ so 
fong as they are intent upon their present pursuits^ 
and live entirely to sense and to itis enjoyments* 
All this, time their own hearts deceive them; for 
il is one of the greatest deluaoni^ of m, to keep 
naen ignorant otthe trpe state of their souls. Ic 
Matters them with peace, . while the. Almighty ic 
at war with them ; and it promises them happi- 
ness in the enjoyment of those thingSjt which will 
bring on them eternal tomient?* And while k 
keeps them in this state of carnal security, nothing 
can appear to tbetn more absurd than to hear that 
they are sick, when they feocy themselves to be 
Hs perfect bcakh. 

I . My brethren are any of you in this state ? 
Do you feel no pw, and do. you apprehend na 
danger from your, sins? Are you entirely secure> 
although your sin^ be unpardoned, and God might 
glorify .his justice, by. immcdiaccly. inflicting, the 

V 2 '"' 



deserved pnnishintot ^ Nay, do^^^ Vjcmi notfincK jmrtr 
of 801^8 punisbmcm iitready in&cted, and^ wbj^ 
tbexr should you bc^ to eseape the rema^ng^ 
part? For have you^not sufiered; some of^ those 
pains and ^ckneiaes, which in a couflpe of yearn 
will infuUitdy: bring down your bodies to the gf^ave,. 
and inflict the sentence on thenii '^Diist tfaoii art^. 
^ and tmto dust shak. thod retum.^ The body 
i»asnot at first ItaUe to this senieitee, umAl sia 
poored its cursed- poison into it^ and^ infected it 
wkh those p^^al- maladiies) which no art of 
]riusic can heMj;: a^d* which wear it dtimn to the 
fps^e c^death. Everjr psdn whidi it feeb, every 
sickness which it labours under^ aU the outward 
and inward 4angers. which threaten its^mortal fife^ 
are owingto sin ; for the wages of sin. is deadt* 
AU the hapUngersof deadly which afflkt and 
weaken men's bodies, and thereby prepare the way- 
fer. bis sebing on tbein> and carryiDg them pris* 
oners to the Ssirkandeold regions of the grave,, 
all these derive their poMtrer over usfrona sin ; fbr» 
as by one man,< sin entered ii^o the world, aiufc 
death by sin,, so death passed upon ail^ men ; /op 
that all have siimed* Sin has most undoubtedly 
wounded yoUr bodies . with pains and ackneases^. 
wkh mortality and death i and what a madness 
then andvin&^adon is it to thinks thaf sin has not 
wdunded your souls aa w41 as your bodiesi For 
what savs the scripture ? '< The soul that st»ietli 
^ it shall dicJ^ Isjiot that a dciperate wound? 
"^ It sh^l die;'' How ! Can the sod ttie I Yes^ It: 
may be-dead in tresspasses and sin* Its dcitth con-^. 
sists in being separated from God, die fdunl^n», 
of life, and m hjimg no communioa. with, fator 



\ 



A SERMONT. aj» 

•!th<r in this^ ^iieorld orm the next. And is not 
tfaisagreitfer punyismm: tban the death of the 
body, and is h not Infihitefy more painful too, 
thus to <fic from God and glory ^ i^od to be to«*- 
tmnted with the worm tliat neoer dteth, and iir 
Ae fire that never shall be quenched? Wliat ! 
IB not (bat a wound indeed which thus alienated 
j^m&ooi die Itfeof God ? y«a^ a most, dreadful 
wound^ the torment and anguish of whi^^ 3Foa 
may sufier for ever and ever i Men and bretb«- 
Feo^ are the$e things so ^ Examine thi? evidence 
and determine, fs not ^ the great murderer, 
who has wounded your bodies wkh pains and dis»- 
eases, and mortality, ajid has separated yaor souls 
§rom God,, die fountain of life, and made yeo sub* 
jeet to the first and'^econd death? Is^notthe proof 
<»f these truths as complete and fidl as die case 
will admk off Does it not amount even to a. 
demonstration f And do you not then stand m' 
need of «ome sovereign bakn toheal you, and da 
you not'want a physician ? You. certainly do, as 
mnch asever djring men did. And why rhendo yotS: 
neglect the remedy, and sii^t tiie physician ? 

Bfit perb&ps some person may. say. How cair 
these thin^ be? Am not I in perfect Imkhy 
and bow theix €6Xi I liaftiour under tibase diseases 
which you^re mentioning ? Yes, my brother, yotr 
niay be i^ heafth,, your body may be perfecttf^ 
well, but yoi^h^ve a ml^ndde^ dnful soul withinr 
ipu, which k infected with. the. ^bigiie and &uL 
leprosy of ot^ginai^lfiin, and which lias been wounds 
ed with tjiousands c^- aecual rrii^iesr Uns . ia.. 
your case, and it is most deplorable. All ijie 
powers in xMvrp can ^v^ pa no rdief*. Thercu 



23^ A. SERMON. 

is no remedy in heaven or earth, but the blood of. 
Jesus Christ appKed by the grace of his^xxl iSpir- 
It, and yet sin has such power o^r you as to per- 
suade you to neglect that precious medicine^ with-^ 
ot^ urhich you noust perish everlastkisly. 

What J say^ you. Can I be in^ this £spenite con- 
dition, and not know and feel it P Yes, you may* 
It is an undoubted matter of fact, tliat sin brought 
as many diseases upon tlie sod, as it did upon the 
body. Indeed it left the soul entirely sick,, audi 
. urithoiit any soundness in it, as we daily^ c(»i&ss in^ 
the words of our church, ^ there is no health tR. 
" us/* And if there be no health in you, surely* 
then you are sick in every part ? And you have: 
no sense of your malady, because sin has so im- 
paired all your faculties, that you have no spirit- 
ual discernment. You do not discern yop? case, 
to be dangerous, which is one of the worst symp- 
toms you could have, k proves you to be faj^. 
gone in spiritual lethargy,, so that the less senses 
you have, the greater is your diinger.:. And is not' 
diiis a dangerous^disease which mak^s the parent 
insensible ?^^ Fdr how can he avoid, perishing of it,, 
while, conscience, which- oi^et to give the alarm, 
is seared with a hot; iron, .and the other faculties 
of the soul^are past feelfaig I This is the scripture 
account ' of your conditi<H)^ and if it has not con«^ 
vinccd you>x may:^ the^ Lord God Almighty make 
you sensibk of your malady, that you may apply^ 
lb the great physician of souls for the balm, of 
Gilead along with those convinced sinners, who 
are now waiting upon him for the sovereign rem- 
edy* 

2h. When sinners are first brought tea sense of 



A SERMON. t3s 

Aeir guilt and of their dai^iper^ mi eonscieiwc: 
ftcgtnt to do its diHy, tbey are apt to write hitter 
things against themselves and through uabetief to 
r^ect tw ^red mercics^ of the gospel. They 
ieei the wiunds of sin more sharp and psunfiiv 
than ever its pleasures had been sweet and de«^ 
fightfuL Tlie law stilts up guilt, terrifies thele 
consciences with its threaiteningSi sets God before-' 
their eyes as armed with ahnigbty justice to inflict 
the direatened punishmenty and they see no wajr 
open to escape. Speak to persons in this distress 
dlthe balm of Cilead, the remedy appointed oF 
God for their disease^ they cannot believe it is able 
to heal them, or if they are brought to believe 
Ais, yet they reject the comforts of the blessed^ 
sneoicine, for want of faith to apply it to them<r 
selves. Let us consider this case a little. My bre^ 
thren. An has wounded your bodies and soqb, and 
yott are become sensible of (he malady. - Yoa feet 
the anguish of it, and you desire to be healed* 
What objection have you to the remedy which f ho 
Lord God lias appointed for your recovery ) Has 
it not virtue to heal your wounded consciences? 
You know what the remedy is ; It is th^ babn of 
Gilead, the most precious blood of the lamb of 
God, applied by the eternal Spirit, and beak not 
hf any natural or physical qualities,, but by a dli^ 
vme and spiritual efficacy. The power of God. is 
always present with ^t to heal. You eannot tfaereT 
lore object against the medicine) Jiecaose God has 
jrovided it, and he, with his own arm, renders it 
cfiectual for the cure of wounded consciences. 

True, say you, I believe the remedy b infalliU^^ 
\fan how 4io I know diat God vrUl aKri?'ic to>jnjr 



t34 A' sermon: 

9Dul? Tou are wounded, and it is balm for woutnP 
cd consciences, therefore for yours. God has a-' 
wakened jou, he has bf ought you to the know* 
ledge of your disease, and you ftel the ^in of it. 
For what reason has God done this ? but that the 
sense of your misery might send you to the physi- 
cian for nis advice and assi^aiicfe. When the ene- 
my of souls sees you thus escaping out of his Iiandsy 
be wouM try to persuade you, that the remedy is 
not for you; whereas you are the very persons to 
whom the gospel offers it. Chiik says^ ha came 
not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance ; 
and you are sinners, you feel the misery of sin, and 
therefore Chri^ catnc to call you. .Since you are 
sick, he calls you as much as if he had called y^u 
byname in the gospel,. to receive of hlm-tb^ balm 
of Gilead to heal aB^your spiritual^inlimrftlesf 

You think you should be hapi^; if you-could be- 
lieve this, but you find so many^ and such desperate 
wounds, so many' soul-murdering sins, that you 
dare not believe the remei^ is for such as you; Biit 
why not? Is nor the medidne for sin-sick soufe? 
And the more sick you are, the more you want the 
medicine, and bfe vour case the worst that ever was, 
yet the virtue of tne medicine is ahnigbty. If from 
the sole of the foot, even to the crown of the headj. 
there was no soundness in yoij; but in every part 
womidsaind bruises, and. ptitrif)Jng sores, yet the 
balm of Gilead earn make a perfect cure : yea, if 
you bad ten thonsand more wounds than you have, 
it could heal them all. Consider then bow greatly 
you disparage and vilify the love and power of our 
divine phy^cian, by supposing your sins more able 

tP iitt tb^ j^ B tg heal* Is not he the Lord God 



A SERMON. 535 

lAlinightyy and are not all things pos^e wkh him? 
^h ! be not faithless then, but iH^lieving. 

But perhaps guilt suggests to you^ My case is 
singular^ I have '^nned against light and convic^ 
.tlon; often did I resolve to leave my sins, but I as 
4>ften broke my resoluticms^ and therefore I fear 
that I have sinndd^away my day of grace, and that 
there is no mercy for me. Your case is bad, but 
not desperate. Lookhig back on your past Ufe» 
you should be bumbled, but not despair; for are 
you not convinced of your want or the balm of 
Gikad, and does not it, by a divine virtue, heal 
•en manner of sins? Sins against light, against 
many solemn resolutions, andagainst many warnt 
ings of conscience,. as well as other sins? The 
medicine certainly can heal them all; because it is 
appointed of Cod £or that purposc^and hy his al- 
^nighty power be renders it enectilal, and there- 
fore whatever 'keeps you from relying upon its 
4>ower to heal you, is an enemy to your soul. Oh ! 
pray against unbeHef, for that ia at the bottom of 
jail your objections a^-ainst this sovereign medicine, 
^nd may the Lord gtve you faith to be healed. 

What I can it heal me, says some poorid^ected 
l)roken-hearted^nner, who sees nothing but sin in 
Jiis heart and life? Yes, 4t is iippointed for you by 
jiame. "He heaJetlithc broken ip heart, and 
*' bindeth up their -wounds." Psalm cxlvii. 3, Tlie 
^•reat physician has an esptcial regard for ^your 
^ase. He says, be was sent to heal the .broken- 
hearted. But not such as I auii, says one, my heart 
is worse than broken, it is dead to Cod, and to the 
things of God. Be it so. Ou* physician is famous 
ibr raising the dead. It is his office and his glory, 



^6 A S^llMd]^. 

Ifi the psrabie dT the good Samaritany he Seated 
the roan who was balrdead. His soul was as dead 
<o Yjod as yoan is. But the predous iialmy which 
i«ras appKed to hkn> made htm alive to God. The 
iNinie remedy tan Quicken 700^ akliong^ you liave 
been dead ki trespasses and sins; ami as yon are so 
far^nidLened as to see your want of this i^emedy, 
laay you soon expe»ence its sovera^ virtuei and 
^reoeitFe from k Racing healths 

Aicer many doubts and ^ars have isea) silenced^ 
'^ew ones still arise. CtebeHef may perhaps have 
'hecki suggested to some of your hearts; the medi- 
cine certainly can heal att cases, but I have nothing 
^o recommend me to the {^ysician. Have yon no- 
thing? Then this is your best recommendation, 
fie always raBeves poor distressed 4ying dbjects, 
who have no^ng to bring htm, but their sins and 
their miseries. He is therefore a physician, that 
he may refieve such ; fen* by healing those, whem 
none else can heal, begets all the^glory; and by 
healing them freely, he exalts his sovereign grace. 
Thus he aeted in the parable of the ^ooA Samaria 
Mm. What bad the wounded travel ter 4:0 reconK 
mend him? was it not, that he was miserable and 
helpless? This moved the dord^s compassion, and 
lie shewed him mercy. **Xjo, and do thou 4ike- 
Wise.'' Apply to the great phydcian, because thou 
art sick, and canst not heal thyself, and then he 
will exak his rich grace and love, by freely forgive 
lhg«thee all thy sins, and by pouring the balm of 
<}iTead into thy wotinded conscience to heal aU 
tMne io&mities. 

"W^Tien this objection, which arises from pride and 
unbelief^ is removed, and we would persuade the 



y 



A SERMON. 237 

cx>nviDced nimer to rely upon the promises of 
health and salvation, which God has made in bis 
wordy he has still difficulties to get oven He is 
afraid it would be presumption in him to rely up- 
on the promises, and to take comfort from believw 
ing, that he shall have his share and interest in 
them. Whereas he is the very person to whom 
the promises are made. His particular case is de- 
scribed in Luke iv. x8. Our Saviour says, the spi- 
xit c^ the Lord is UfK>n me, because he hath a- 
;)ointcd and commissioned me with full powers to 
relieve every distressed object, that shall apply to 
me for help. Are you a poor afflicted sinner ? He 
has good news for you: He was. ord^ned to 
preach the gospel to the poor. Have you a bro- 
wn contrite heart ? He is sent to heal the broken- 
hearted^ Are you in bondage to sin and satan ? 
He is sent to preach and to give deliverance to the 
captives. Is your understanding blind and igno- 
rant of spiritual thuig^? He is sent to preach and 
to give recovering of sight to the blind. Are you 
fast bound with the chains of »ii, and has the iron 
entered into your soul? He is sent to. set at liberty 
(hem that are bruised: Here is your character: 
you are poor broken-hearted ca|»tives, blind and 
miserable* Here is your promise; Christ is ap- 
pointed of God, and has a divine commission to 
supply alt your wantv Is it presumption then iu 
you to apply this promise to yourselves? What I 
after God Ims ^aciously made it for the comfort 
of your afSicted consciences will you say. It would 
be {Mresumption in us to take comfort from tCl 
^v bretbreti, the promise cannot be br<^en. By 
relying upon it, it is yours. Your dependant 

W 



2^9 A SERMON. 

tipoQ it calk upon God*8 faithfulness to fulffl it to 
you. And it is no presumption, it is a high act 
of£uthy not to stagger at the promise through 
imbeliefv but to giv€ glory to God, by relying 
upon it* May he enab& you thus to give glory ta 
him, and you shall Ss\A that Ms promise is like 
himself, unchangeable, and that bis word cannot 
be broken. 

Since then there is balm in Gilead for wounded 
consciences, provided purposely for you, and since 

Jrour objections against receiving it are ground* 
esff, why, my brethren, will you not apply to the 
almighty i^ysician, and now ask his help ? Oh ! 
that this may he the accepted time, and thh the 
dayof your salvation ! Fall down at his feet, im^ 
plore his assistance, and his tender heart wHl melt 
with compassioYi towards you. If you are discour^ 
aged in jont addresses to him, it is because yoti 
have not clear ideas of Jiis power and love. H^ 
is almighty. He can heal the nMst brcdcen hearr^ 
and the most wounded conscience ;^ and his love 
never failed to influence bis power to heal suchr 
cases, when they came before him. Keep not 
then pouring upon your wounds and sores. Bf 
looking too much at them, you cherish your 
doubts and fears. Look unto Jesus- Remember 
bis advice, ^ Look unto me, and be y^ saved.*^ 
You should look into voinrselves, to see your want 
of salvation, and k)ok unto htm* for a supply of 
jom- wants. And that you may be supplied oat 
of h]» fiilnes8> believe his promises. Rely uponi 
kis faithfulness to fulfil them to your souls; and 
Aereby yoa engage his power to gWe you health 
and sara^ion* 



A SERMON. 239* 

J* Blessed be his holy name, for exerting hi* 
divine virtue at this day, and for healing all man- 
ner of spiritual sickness a|id all manner of disease 
among the people. Great numbers, now alive, 
are witnessis for him, that his hand is not shor* 
tened. Still he saves his people from sin, and 
from all the maladies brought upon them by sin. 
You, ray christian brethren, who have bad expe- 
rience of his divine power and love, ought ce^* 
shew forth his praise. Itbeeometh you well «D 
be thankful. Much has been forgiven you, there- 
fore you should love much. The sweet Psalmist 
cf Israel calls upon you by his example to a grate- 
firf acknowledgement ot the Lord's mercfc?.*- 
^ Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is no^ithiti 
^ me, hksA bis holy name. Bless the Lord, O my 
^ soi4 and forget dot all his benefits ;. who for-^ 
^ givcth aH thine iniquities> who healeth all thin6 
•* mfirmitses.^ Pjaim ciii. i, 2, j. After you have 
received such great benefits, it will be yoUf de- 
fight to nraise him with your Hps, and with youf 
fives. The health and strength which he has free- 
ly ^ven^ you will use in his service and to bis 
glory, until he take ydu to hltnsclf, dnd give you 
more happy experience of his ^eat salvation, by 
deKveritig your soul from every mfermity and cor- 
ruption ; and it will not be long^ before he will 
raise your bodies from the grave, and make them 
like his own glorious body. And then he will get 
himself honour indeed, whenheshall healbothbody 
andsoidof all the wounds of sin, and shall hesd 
them for ever and ever. That is the glory of our 
physician, he heals to eternity. He makes the 
spirit of just men perfect; and they stand bc&re 



240 A SERMON. 

the throne of God without any spot or stain of cor^i^ 
ruption. And in the morning of the resurrection^ 
this corrupdble bodv shall put on incorruption^ 
and this mortal shall put on immortality. Thus 
be bestows eternal Iiealth and salvatioq upon both 
body and souk Where is there, nay, where can 
there be such a Physician f There is none like un- 
to thee, Lord, glorious in holiness, fearful in 
5 raises, doing wonders. Still thou art dfcplaying 
le wonders of thy power and love, and adminis- 
(ering thy sovereign balm for rccoverii^ the 
health, of the daugmer of thy people. OhT that 
thou wouldst dispay thy divine virtue among us 
this day. Arise, thou son of righteousness, upon 
all this congregation, with healing under . jchy 
beams, and save us from every malady cf sin, front 
the pollution, from the guilt, and from the power 
of it, and save us from the punishment of it witb 
thine eternal salvation. Hear us, though almigb^ 
ty Saviour, and answer us to the glory of the Fa-^ 
ther, and of the holy Spirit, three co-equal and 
co-eternal persons in one Jehovah, to whom wc 
give honour and worship, and blessing and praisCi^ 
now ud for evtr. Amea ^ Amen. 



I r I J li , I II 1 111 l|l I >j 



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